The Kingdom of God Drawn Near

I love when a book that I’m reading includes an epilogue. In the last chapter of Louisa May Alcott’s novel, Little Women, the March sisters are reunited, minus dear Beth who had recently passed away. Amy, the youngest, had married their wealthy neighbor, Laurie, while in Paris and had arrived home uncertain of how this news would affect Jo. Jo, or Josephine March, had left New York City and returned home to Concord, when she heard that Beth was terribly ill. Following Beth’s death, she stayed at the March family home, to help her older sister, Meg, give birth to twins and to adjust to motherhood. But before she left NYC, she left a manuscript with Friedrich Bhaer, her love interest, who had encouraged her to write from what she knew and not stories filled with blood and gore.Friedrich had passed on the manuscript to a publisher friend of his who loved it. He wanted to give this good news to Jo in person. However, when he came to the door and asked for Miss March, he was told that Miss March and Mr. Laurie were recently married, thinking he was asking about Amy and Laurie! When Jo saw the typed manuscript and realized it was her book, Little Women, by Josephine March, she ran down the lane in hopes of catching Friedrich before he left forever. There he was, in the rain, walking towards the train that would take him out west where he would try his luck at teaching. Jo calls for him and he stops, surprised, confused and disappointed that this young woman he had come to love and respect had married her childhood sweetheart. Jo sets him straight, explaining that it was her sister Amy who had married Laurie. She remained quite single and was actually in need of someone to help her with an idea to turn her great Aunt March’s vast estate into a school for children. And that’s where the story ends. What? No! That can’t be the end! What happens to the remaining March sisters?We turn the page and the epilogue fills us in on what happens next: Jo runs Plumfield School with Professor Friedrich Bhaer, having inherited the estate from Aunt March. Meg is happily married with twins, and Amy is married to Laurie, focusing on art and charity. The family gathers, honoring Beth’s memory, concluding with a “happy ending” where Jo finds fulfillment in her family, school, and writing.So much has happened in John’s gospel, especially since Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was tried, unjustly condemned to die, was brutally scourged and nailed to a cross. Placed in a borrowed tomb, on the third morning Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to Mary Magdalene, then to the disciples that very same Resurrection Day as well as a week later, as the Passover Festival was coming to an end. John seemingly ends his narrative with his purpose for writing: “That you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (Jn 20:31)But that isn’t the end of the story. John is kind enough to include an epilogue for us.Read John 21Several of Jesus’ disciples had returned to Galilee, post-Passover and two interactions with Resurrected Jesus, one of which He breathed the Holy Spirit on them. What were they to do now? They had left everything behind to follow Jesus. Their leader was alive, but they had no idea when, if ever, they would see Him again. Simon Peter figured he’d do what he knew to do and that was fish.Everyone got into the boat but the fish weren’t biting. They were left with memories that seemed to flood their minds, of the many times they had transported Jesus across the Sea of Galilee during His ministry. Of the time that the Sea was stirred up, the waves tossing and turning, ready to capsize their vessel. They looked up and there was Jesus walking towards them on the water! But Jesus didn’t walk to them on the water that night and by morning their nets were still empty.Then a man on the shore called out to them, “Cast your net on the right side of the boat…and you’ll find some.” (v 6) They were about 100 yards away from the shore, so they couldn’t quite make out who it was, but then John said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” (v 7) Peter jumped into the water and swam to shore. Once there he was greeted by a charcoal fire on the beach, with fish and bread cooking over it. I imagine that Peter’s memory took him right back to another charcoal fire he had warmed himself by not two weeks earlier, in the courtyard of the high priest, where he denied even knowing Jesus not once, but three times.Now Jesus asks him three times to reaffirm his love for Him and recommissions him. Jesus’ question, “Do you love me?” (vv 15, 16 and 17) grieves Simon, son of John. “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” (v 17) Taken in its full sense, Peter is affirming Christ’s omniscience, consistent with his deity. If he knows everything, then of course he knows Peter’s heart. Peter is instructed to feed Jesus’ sheep and lambs. Jesus as the true shepherd appoints Peter and other apostles to be undershepherds to the soon-to-be-formed church. Peter will demonstrate his love for Jesus by loving God’s people and feeding them with His Word.Jesus lets Peter know that when he is old, he will suffer a death similar to His - crucifixion - but that he is to follow Jesus at all costs. Peter is given a second chance! He would be allowed to follow Jesus to death after all. Imagine how full and free Peter must have felt in that moment. Jesus had forgiven him. They were reconciled and back on track.And then, Peter looked over at John, the disciple Jesus loved, and asked, “Lord, what about him?” (v 21) to which Jesus replied, “What is that to you?” (v 23) In other words, (and this is purely my translation) “Buddy, I need you to keep your eyes on Me and Me alone. Don’t give into the temptation to compare yourself or My love to others. Eyes right here. Let’s go.”John ends this epilogue by admitting that the things he included in his narrative are just a fraction of all that Jesus did for us. In fact, “If every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.” (v 25)What a great ending!Big Picture Questions for Today:* Though sinned against, Jesus initiated reconciliation with Peter and offered tender mercies. How can you love extravagantly? Perhaps emulating Jesus is simpler than we think. Initiate reconciliation through simple acts of connection, offering grace rather than blame, love and forgiveness rather than the warranted anger and need for restitution to be made. Freely give, as God in Christ, has freely given.Pray and thank God for this long, slow season of Lent and for all that He has worked in you through our time in the study of John’s gospel. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Can you believe it? Easter is finally here! Our Lenten practice and fast over the last 40 days has built up to this day. There is no more sacrificing or giving something up in order to identify more fully with Christ’s sufferings! Hallelujah! Today, as you celebrate Resurrection Sunday with family, friends and your church family, you may hear people say, “He is Risen!” The appropriate response is, “He is Risen indeed!” In case you are wondering, this ‘paschal greeting,’ also known as the Easter Acclamation, comes from the Hebrew word, Pesach, which refers to the Jewish Passover. Those who live in Greece, will hear or say, “Christos anesti“ (Christ is risen), and other Grecians will then respond “Alithos anesti“ (truly, He has risen), this is known as the Paschal Greeting. These words are sometimes accompanied by the exchange of three kisses, alternating on each cheek; one kiss for each member of the Trinity.In the Western culture of Christianity, when one person rejoices with, “He is Risen!” others answer, “He is risen, Indeed.” Saying “He is risen!” allows us to share this extraordinary truth with each other. The resurrection of Jesus provides an outpouring of hope for our salvation and for our own resurrection and eternal life. This rejoicing of Jesus’ victory is also a victory for those whose lives now belong to Christ because all who believe in Him will have eternal life. His victory is now ours!In today’s reading, gospel writer John highlights Mary Magdalene’s encounter with the resurrected Jesus, along with all of the emotions she experienced before, during and after this intentional, most precious meeting.Read John 20Before meeting Jesus, Mary Magdalene was a tormented woman from Magdala plagued by “seven demons,” likely indicating severe physical and psychological illness or acute spiritual oppression. Jesus healed her, sparking a life of devotion to his ministry. Later writers in church history connected Mary Magdalene to the sinful woman who anointed Jesus’ feet with precious oils at Simon’s house, from Luke’s gospel account, (Luke 7:37) calling her a former prostitute. However there is no evidence for this in the biblical text or in early church history. The Synoptic gospels simply inform readers that Jesus healed Mary Magdalene of significant demonic possession, and that she gratefully followed him throughout His ministry, to the foot of the cross and the empty tomb. How could she not follow her Healer, her Teacher, her Lord? He had completely transformed her life, from the inside out - her only reason for living.Mary Magdalene only appears in John’s gospel by name at Jesus’ crucifixion and now at the tomb, “on the first day of the week.” (v 1) Luke tells us “all who knew him, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things,” (Luke 23:49) making it clear that there was a group of women, of whom Mary Magdalene was part, who had been with Jesus all along. They now begin to take prominence in the narrative. They are the ones who stay and witness Jesus’ death after the disciples have fled. They are the ones who follow Joseph of Arimathea to the burial site. (Luke 23:55) And, of course, they are the ones who first learn of Jesus’ resurrection.The four gospels vary in their accounts of who first visited Jesus’ empty tomb. In Luke, it is just “the women”; in Matthew, it is “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary”; in Mark, it is “Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome”; and in John, it is just “Mary Magdalene.” The common denominator in all these accounts is Mary Magdalene, and even when multiple women are mentioned, her name comes first.In John’s version, Mary Magdalene is the only woman mentioned by name. However, when she runs to tell Simon Peter and John (the one Jesus loved) that the stone had been removed, she uses the plural pronoun, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him!” (v 2) indicating that she wasn’t alone. She was part of a group of women who came to the tomb as soon as it was permissible following the end of the Sabbath.After sharing the horrible news that Jesus’ body had been taken, Mary Magdalene follows Simon Peter and John back to the empty tomb. I have to chuckle at John’s added detail that he outran Peter, as if he wants to make sure we all know that he was younger and faster than “Old Man Peter!” The men go inside the tomb and see the linen cloths that Jesus’ body had been wrapped in lying there. In fact, John writes that when he went in and saw the cloths, he believed! He was beginning to put some of the pieces together, understanding the Scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead. (from v 9)John and Peter head back to the rest of the disciples, “but Mary stood outside the tomb, crying.” (v 11) Alone, Mary Magdalene sees “two angels in white sitting where Jesus’ body had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.” (v 12) She explains that she is inconsolable because her Lord and Master, Jesus, has been taken. She then turns around and meets the risen Jesus face to face. Their close relationship seems evident from her panic at discovering that Jesus is gone, how she kneels by the empty tomb and weeps, thinking that someone has moved or stolen the body. When she realizes that Jesus has risen, she cries out the Aramaic word for teacher, Rabboni, and tries to embrace him, but Jesus instructs her not to cling to Him “since I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father; to my God and your God.” (v 17) Between that moment and the one when she relates to the disciples what has happened, she alone is the entirety of the Christian gospel on Earth. Think about that for a moment. Mary Magdalene becomes the evangelist to the apostles, the first one to preach the Good News of the resurrection!Following ascension, Jesus would appear to all of His disciples, moving through physical walls, appearing and disappearing, allowing each of them to believe in His resurrection at their own pace. John ends this story by sharing why: “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (vv 30-31) Life in His Name: The I AM According to the Gospel of John. We end right back where we started these Lenten lessons.Big Picture Questions for Today:* As we conclude our #LentenDaily2026 devotional today, does this Easter Sunday mean more to you?* Can you describe how this lenten experience has grown your understanding and appreciation for all Jesus has done for you?Pray, and thank Jesus for His passion for you, culminated in His sacrifice on your behalf on the cross. “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross despising its shame.” (Heb. 12:2) Rising again wasn’t His joy. Providing the way for you to be adopted into the family of God, forgiven of all your sins and to live with Him in glory forever…that was His joy!HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN, INDEED!It wouldn’t be Easter for me if we didn’t sing “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” written by Charles Wesley in 1739 and performed by Travis Cottrell on his recent project, Tribute to the King. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 40The Seven I AM’sEach Sunday of #LentenDaily 2026 we focused on a specific I AM statement made by Jesus to His followers. I realize that today is Saturday, but I want to finish our I AM study today instead of tomorrow, Resurrection Day.Physical imagery and symbolism is often an important part of our worship and understanding of God; it’s how we’re wired as humans. And in Jesus’ seventh and final I AM statement - I AM The True Vine - He turns to a particularly evocative image, taking us back to the original Garden of Eden.Read John 15:1-17Before we dig into Jesus’ True Vine allegory, we do well to first consider the Old Testament background of the vine image and what it says about Jesus’ place in God’s plan of salvation. Frequently, God’s prophets, like Jeremiah, Hosea and Ezekiel, referred to the covenant people of Israel as God’s vine, but everywhere they do this, they also condemn Israel for being unfruitful and spiritually degenerate, as a vine that has become wild or fruitless. I find Ezekiel’s Parable of the Two Eagles and the Vine particularly intriguing. He shares that a vine “had been planted in a good field by abundant water in order to produce branches, bear fruit, and become a splendid vine. You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Will it flourish? Will he not tear out its roots and strip off its fruit so that it shrivels? All its fresh leaves will wither! Great strength and many people will not be needed to pull it from its roots. Even though it is planted, will it flourish? Won’t it wither completely when the east wind strikes it? It will wither on the plot where it sprouted.’” (Eze 17:8-10) Some serious uprooting would take place in Israel - God would use the nation of Babylon to discipline His wild vine, but also promised a new vine in the future, a messianic vine who would bear branches, produce fruit and become majestic, providing shade and protection for all. (from Eze 17:23)When Jesus said, “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener” (v 1) He declared that He is the true Israel of God, the promised fruitful servant who will accomplish God’s purposes for Israel. In Jesus, the Lord God would reconstitute the people in whom He works to save the world. The true Israel of God is Jesus and all who are in Him by faith alone.Jesus extends the analogy by saying, “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.” (v 5) Jesus is the true vine, but this vine has branches, and we who love and serve Christ are those branches. Thus, we are a part of the true Israel of God. More than that, unlike the old covenant community that, as a whole, was not spiritually fruitful, though individual Israelites were often true to God, the true Israel, the true branches in Christ Jesus’ vine are fruitful. In fact, our Creator God - the Divine Gardener is continually pruning this true vine in order to increase its yield. No human gardener is content with a vine that is unproductive or that produces very few grapes. Such a vine is useless to him. Similarly, God refuses to be content with branches that yield nothing or very little, and He will do whatever it takes to make true branches bear fruit.We branches bear fruit only because we are connected to, abide or remain in Christ the vine. (from v 4) Augustine of Hippo reminds us that “the relation of the branches to the vine is such that they contribute nothing to the vine, but from it derive their own means of life; while that of the vine to the branches is such that it supplies their vital nourishment, and receives nothing from them.” Our spiritual fruitfulness is nonexistent, impossible apart from Christ. He is the only true source of our lasting fruitfulness.And Christ’s heart is for us to flourish and grow. We are not just told to stay put, but to ask for whatever we wish in confidence that it will be granted, and to bear, not just some fruit, but much. All this, Jesus concludes, is so that he can delight in us and our joy will be complete. The only way that we can see godly, eternally significant fruit produced in us is if we are intimately abiding in Christ, and the way that we remain in Him is by cooperating with His Spirit, sent to dwell within each of us who believe. The Apostle Paul describes this fruit by contrasting it with the deeds of the flesh in his letter to the Galatian church: “I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” (Gal 5:16-25)Big Picture Question for Today:* As you ponder Jesus’ death on our behalf over the course of today, how did He go above and beyond obeying His Father and giving His life for us?Pray and thank God that His heart was and is for us to live in peace and joy; flourishing in his presence for all time.Lastly, enjoy this lovely song, “Abide,” by Aaron Williams and Dwell Songs (2021) Listen to the end, if you have time, and note the repeating of the phrases, “I depend on you.”Dwell Songs - Abide (Lyrics) ft. Aaron Williams This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 39In Walt Disney’s 1970 animated musical comedy, The Aristocats, a family of aristocratic cats are set to gain their mistress’s fortune, much to the dismay of her butler, Edgar. He concocts what he deems a flawless plan; he drugs and kidnaps mother, Duchess, and her three kittens, Berlioz, Toulouse and Marie and drives them out to the Parisian countryside, in hopes of never seeing them again. End of story, or as the French say, “C’est fini.” However two retired army dogs, Napoleon and Bonaparte, make Egar’s sidecar capsize on the country, spilling the cats out under a bridge. Hound dog Napoleon outranks the short and stocky basset hound, Bonaparte, and never misses an opportunity to lord it over him, regularly reminding him, “I’m the leader! I’ll say when we charge!” followed by a quick, “Charge!” Napoleon has convinced himself that his authority within the French Canine Army is for life. While Napoleon is a minor character in the story, this theme of arrogant authority is woven throughout the film, even in the final credits, after Duchess and the kittens are helped by feral cat Thomas O’Malley and return to their mistress’s home. Bonaparte says to Napoleon, “Hey Napoleon! It looks like that’s the end!” To which Napoleon replies, “Wait a minute! I’m the leader! I’ll say when it’s the end…It’s The End.”There are several moments in today’s reading from John’s gospel in which characters think the story is finished, believing that they have the power and authority to determine when it is “The End.” But Jesus would have the last word.Read John 19Caiaphas and his fellow chief priests…Pilate…the Roman soldiers…the Jews…each of these believed that they had power over the outcome of Jesus’ trial, conviction and sentencing. Caiaphas would have rathered a known revolutionary and murderer, Barabbas, be released from prison in celebration of Passover rather than Jesus. Guilty, sinful Barabbas was set free. Jesus took his place.In order to appease the chief priests, Pilate had Jesus flogged by his soldiers. There is uncertainty as to whether this was the only flogging or a first, lighter beating which took place before Pilate sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion. Some interpreters think this first beating is the same as the severe “scourging” that Jesus received, as described in Matthew’s and Mark’s gospel accounts. However, it seems unlikely that Pilate would have administered so violent and severe a punishment to someone who had not yet been condemned to death and whom Pilate was still trying to release, “I find no grounds for charging him.” (v 4) It seems more likely, therefore, that this flogging was what the Romans called fustigatio, the lightest form of flogging administered for minor crimes. Pilate expected that the crowd would be satiated when Jesus was brought out to them, mocked as “The King of the Jews” replete with a crown of thorns thrust into His skull and a royal purple robe. This whole messy business would be over, finished.The chief priests and temple servants were enraged when they heard that Pilate found no grounds to execute Jesus, so they played the God card explaining, “We have a law…and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” (v 7) Pilate went back into his headquarters to ask Jesus a few more questions. When Jesus refused to answer, Pilate arrogantly proclaimed, “Don’t you know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?” (v 10) Didn’t this guy know that Pilate was in charge here? He would say when it was over?Pilate brings Jesus outside where the crowd can see. He doesn’t seem to know what to do with Jesus, so he throws his hands up in the air and says, “Here is your king!” (v 14) The chief priests aren’t having it and declare, “We have no king but Caesar.” (v 15) What? No king but Ceasar? It was at this point that Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified (from v 16) and is most likely when the administration of the Roman verberatio took place, more like the scourging that Matthew and Mark describe - the most horrible kind of beating, administered in connection with capital punishments, including crucifixions. Surely this is the end, but no. “Carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.” (v 17)Pilate has a sign made for Jesus’ cross that reads “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS” in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests, wanting to manage the public relations messaging of Jesus’ sentencing, have problems with the sign. It should say that Jesus claimed to be the King of the Jews. At this point, Pilate has had enough and refuses to make any more changes. It is finished…well Pilate’s part is finished.I have to say that I trust John’s account of everything that occurred from Jesus’ arrest up to His death more than the other gospel writers. Now don’t hear me saying that I believe there is anything false in the Synoptic gospels, but John was actually there, following closely as Jesus was drug before the Sanhedrin, then Pilate. He walked with the women to the Place of the Skull and was with them as the soldiers nailed Jesus’ hands and feet to the cross and hoisted him up for all to see - bloody, naked, in agony. John, the disciple Jesus loved, was the only one there. There are details in John’s account that simply aren’t included in the Synoptics. Jesus’ provision for His mother Mary is one of those important details. He looked down on His mother and John and said, ‘here is your son…here is your mother. And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.” (v 27) There is credibility to John’s account, “He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth.” (v 35)And now, now that all Scripture had been fulfilled, Jesus said, “‘It is finished.’ Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.” (v 30) Jesus said when it was The End.There are no Big Picture Questions today. Instead, I’d like to leave you with one of my favorite prayers from the collection of Puritan prayers and devotions, The Valley of Vision. The Puritan Movement was a religious phenomenon spanning the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This small book draws from the largely forgotten deposit of Puritan exercises, meditations and aspirations. While the language might seem a bit clunky, I’d like to encourage you to read the prayer aloud, and picture in your mind’s eye the scene. Make this your prayer today.THE PRECIOUS BLOODBlessed Lord Jesus,Before thy cross I kneel and see the heinousness of my sin, my iniquity that caused thee to be ‘made a curse’, the evil that excites the severity of divine wrath.Show me the enormity of my guilt bythe crown of thorns,the pierced hands and feetthe bruised body,the dying cries.Thy blood is the blood of incarnate God, its worth infinite, its value beyond all thought.Infinite must be the evil and guilt that demands such a price.Sin is my malady, my monster, my foe, my viper, born in my birth, alive in my life,strong in my character,dominating my faculties,following me as a shadow,intermingling with my every thought,my chain that holds me captive in the empire of my soul.Sinner that I am, why should the sun give me light, the air supply breath, the earth bear my tread, its fruits nourish me, its creatures subserve my ends?Yet thy compassions yearn over me, thy heart hastens to my rescue, thy love endured my curse, thy mercy bore my deserved stripes.Let me walk humbly in the lowest depths of humiliation, bathed in thy blood, tender of conscience, triumphing gloriously as an heir of salvation.Lastly, enjoy this beautiful song “All Sufficient Merit” written and performed by Shane and Shane. Pay attention to the chorus lyrics:It is done, it is finished, no more dеbt I owePaid in full, all-sufficient merit now my ownAll Sufficient Merit (Live) | Shane & Shane This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 38The courtroom is filled to capacity for a criminal jury trial. A woman’s name is called to the witness stand. Before sitting down, she is asked to place her right hand on the Bible held by the bailiff and asked to repeat the following, “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.” This courtroom oath is used in common law jurisdictions to compel witnesses to provide complete, honest testimony, ensuring that evidence is not omitted (”the whole truth”) or fabricated (”and nothing but the truth”). In taking this oath, the witness is promising to provide accurate information, disclosing all relevant information, even those details that could be damaging to the plaintiff or defendant.In today’s reading we peek in on multiple courtrooms in which various witnesses are asked questions. No one will tell the truth in any of the vignettes of John 18, with the striking exception of Jesus, who is Truth Himself.Read John 18While gospel writer John stretched out Jesus’ Farewell Discourse across five chapters, the next 8-10 hours of the Passion of Christ move quickly, starting in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples.” (v 2) Judas led a band of temple guards as well as Roman soldiers assigned to Jerusalem to keep order during the Passover Festival right up to Jesus. As soon as Jesus confirmed that He was who they were looking for, “I am he.” (vv 5, 6 & 8) the strong, confident soldiers fell to the ground, their balance upset in the presence of the I AM.During the six trials of Jesus, the contrast between the truth and lies was unmistakable. There stood Jesus, the Truth, being judged by those whose every action was bathed in lies. The Jewish leaders broke nearly every law designed to protect a defendant from wrongful conviction. They fervently worked to find any testimony that would incriminate Jesus, and in their frustration, they turned to false evidence brought forward by liars. But even that could not help them reach their goal. So they broke another law and forced Jesus to implicate Himself.Outside in the high priest’s courtyard, another trial was taking place as the sun rose that morning. Simon Peter was called to the witness stand and asked of his involvement with Jesus. No matter who asked the question or how it was asked, Peter’s answer was the same, “I do not know the man.” (from vv 17, 25 & 26) Of course, just as Peter denied his relationship with Jesus, a rooster crowed, reminding him of what Jesus predicted would happen.Once in front of Pilate, the Jewish leaders lied again. They convicted Jesus of blasphemy, but when Pilate asked them the charge against Him, they expected him to trust them, “If this man weren’t a criminal, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.” (v 30) When it became painfully obvious that the Jews would not kill Jesus, Pilate turned his attention to the defendant and asked a series of questions, but none of Jesus’ answers were understandable to him.The final question Pontius Pilate asked, “What is truth?” (v 38) overlooked the fact that many things can have truth, but only one thing can actually be the Truth. Truth must originate from somewhere. Ironically, the one charged with determining the truth in the matter glibly dismissed the relevance of truth in the very presence of the One who is Truth incarnate. Pilate apparently decides that Jesus is a teacher of abstract philosophical questions to which no one can find an answer, and thus decides that Jesus poses no threat to the Roman government. He seeks no answer from the only one who could give him the answer, the Origin of all Truth.Big Picture Questions for Today:* Have you ever felt deeply betrayed by someone?* How might Jesus’ example with Judas comfort you in the midst of that pain?Pray “Jesus, we praise You and thank You for choosing to understand what real betrayal feels like on earth. We trust You to comfort us in the midst of our pain and struggles because you did not choose a life of ease. Grant us hearts to remember where our true kingdom lies as we seek to honor You.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 37“After the closing supper, his public preaching work being ended, and nothing remaining to be done but to die, he gave himself wholly unto prayer. He was not again to instruct the multitude, nor to heal the sick, and in the interval which remained, before he should lay down his life, he girded himself for special intercession. He poured out his soul in life before he poured it out unto death.” - Charles Spurgeon, on John 17In today’s reading we have the opportunity to camp out in John 17, “Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer.”Read John 17In the previous chapter, Jesus had just finished speaking plainly to His disciples regarding his death, his resurrection, and the coming Holy Spirit. Now He turns to His Heavenly Father and we see one of the most beautifully intimate moments within the Trinity. We see it now because Jesus’ disciples got to see it then. And the disciples saw it then because Jesus wanted to share it with them. So we can be confident that Jesus is eager to show us something today, too. Jesus offers us three things to reflect on; His glory, His family, and His work.Sharing in His Glory (vv 1-5)As far back as Genesis we see the glory or presence of God expressed through the Trinity, through God’s creation of human beings - in His glorious image. Jesus now lifts His eyes to heaven and prays, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you.” (v 1) To glorify God is not to bestow glory on God or add to His glory, but to recognize and acknowledge His glory. The basic meaning of the word glory is “heavy in weight.” It is the “weighty importance and shining majesty that accompany God’s presence.” The verb glorify means “to give weight to” or “to honor.” Thus, Jesus asks His Father God to glorify Himself in the upcoming events that Jesus would endure, but more importantly, that His Father would be glorified, honored, properly weighted in how Jesus experienced the following 24 hours - betrayal, a mock trial, the scourging, crucifixion, death and burial in a borrowed tomb.Finally, Jesus asks, “Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with that glory I had with you before the world existed.” (v 5) Before returning to the presence of God, Christ had to be glorified in His humanity in order to dwell before God’s face as the incarnate Mediator. His humanity had to participate in glory in order to see God in glory. The same is true of us, which is why we will be glorified. We will share in God’s glory not so that we will be worshiped but so that we will reflect that glory and enjoy the beauty of God as we see Him face-to-face. There is a day coming when we will be dressed in robes of righteousness, reveling in His glory. But we will not just be passive audience members to some divine stage play - we are musicians in the band, dancers and artists. God’s glory is not an eternal monologue. It is a relational glory that has existed before the world between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are glorified with him.But we do not taste His glory without tasting his bitter cup, too. Jesus says he has accomplished what he came to do; that is, to suffer and die. When we join Him in His suffering, it is not as a way to appease God, for we were justified by the cross, but freely because we know that our present suffering does not compare to the glory we will soon receive.Sharing in His Family (vv 6-19)For many of us, the thought of “family” brings a lot of … well, just a lot. Maybe your family is marked more by dysfunction than safety, by bickering more than encouragement, instability more than peace. Maybe family is something you’ve experienced very little of and you’d take the challenges of family over an absent one any day. We all have a view of family that has been tarnished by the brokenness of sin. In this prayer, however, we see Jesus offer us a new family, “Holy Father, protect them by your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one.” (v 11)Pause for a moment and think about the absurdity of these two things; first, that Jesus, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, prays for us. He didn’t try to heal just one more leper, or calm one more raging storm or even give a sermon. He thought of us, and he interceded for us. Secondly, God chooses to share His name with us. Jesus says, “Those names they used to have? They go by my name now. That place they used to call home? They share my home now. Their inheritance was destruction? They share my inheritance now.” If you find yourself questioning the heart of Christ, be encouraged: He has called you sister! He has called you brother! His Father calls you children! And Jesus knows that the world will not be so kind to us as His family is. We have been set apart by God, day by day taking on more of the identity of His family. And we’ve been tasked to “consider one another in order to provoke love and good works,” (Heb 10:24) to allow His joy to be made manifest in us.Sharing in His Work (vv 20-26)In Hebrew “Tetelestai” means “the sacrifice is accomplished.” These were Jesus’ final words on the cross. Nothing more needs to be paid, it is complete, paid in full. But Jesus says the work is not yet finished. “I made your name known to them and will continue to make it known...” (v 26) Earlier, in John 10:16 Jesus says, “But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.” Jesus is not leaving His disciples with nothing to do but twiddle their thumbs until Heaven. He is entrusting them, entrusting us with the task of making known to the rest of humanity that there is only one God, one King who reigns over everything and is alone worthy to be praised! Hallelujah!Big Picture Questions for Today:* Have you forgotten what following Jesus is about? Consider that God is love, he is worthy of ALL the glory, and His glory is seen most clearly in you, in us: in His church.* Has your earthly family changed the way you view your new family in Christ?* Have you neglected God’s charge to make disciples of all nations, to teach His word, to care for the widowed, orphaned and poor? Consider that God has gone before you in His care. He is not dependent on you, he’s prayed for these things since before time. But He is eager for you to participate and He has commanded us to join Him.Pray as you listen to Josh Baldwin’s “The Christ and Cornerstone,” specifically the the first verse and chorus:Word of life, the MessiahWho traded heaven’s glory for a crossSpotless Lamb, roaring LionBecame the resurrection for us allThere is only one God, one KingWho reigns over everythingHis Name is JesusHis Name is JesusOne light, one hopeThe Christ and the CornerstoneHis Name is JesusHis Name is JesusThe Christ And Cornerstone (Live) - Bethel Music, Josh Baldwin This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 36In A Little WhileIt was the summer of 1982, between my freshman and sophomore years in high school. I was very involved in my church, Roswell Street Baptist, in both the youth group and choir and that summer we had been on a two-week long camp and choir tour across several southern states, ending with a week at Covenant College on Lookout Mountain in Tennessee. I remember stepping onto the church bus at some point during the trip and hearing a beautiful voice I wasn’t familiar with. I was used to gospel music and the growing contemporary christian music genre, but this woman’s voice was new to me. The late 70’s and early 80’s were when contemporary christian artists, like the Imperials, Keith Green, Andraé Crouch and Phil Kaeggy, began changing the landscape of christian music, especially for teens, but there really weren’t any strong women’s voices in the mix.“Sing Your Praise to the Lord” was booming from my friend, Summer McNair’s cassette tape player. I stopped and asked, “Who is that?” Summer answered, “Amy Grant! She has a new album out, Age to Age, and there isn’t a bad song on it!” I hadn’t even heard of Amy Grant before that bus ride, but sat next to Summer that day and listened to the whole album multiple times! I couldn’t get enough! Amy clearly and creatively put truth to music in a way that connected with and encouraged me to love the Lord more deeply. While all of the songs were great, her song, “In a Little While” was particularly special. I would find myself listening and singing along, often with tears in my eyes, “In a little while we’ll be with the Father - can’t you see Him smile? In a little while we’ll be home forever, in a while. We’re just here to learn to love Him. We’ll be home in just a little while.”In today’s reading from John, Jesus continues giving His disciples final instructions on what He is doing and where He is going. Today He gives them timing on these events - “in a little while” - but it leaves them with even more questions.Read John 16:16-33“A little while and you will no longer see me; again a little while and you will see me.” (v 16) What in the world was Jesus talking about? The disciples were equally confused by His words, questioning what He meant by “a little while.” Jesus explained that they would weep and mourn during the brief period between the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus, (even while His enemies rejoiced) but their sorrow would soon turn into joy as He revealed Himself to them in His resurrected body. I imagine the disciples asking, “Master, could you be more specific? Are we talking a few hours? A day? What exactly do you consider “a little while’?”What do you do when “a little while” feels unending? Jesus’ death didn’t feel like “a little while” when the disciples were experiencing it. As they watched Jesus arrested, beaten, crucified, and buried, surely it felt like an eternity. “A little while” feels like forever when you’re in the middle of it. But you can find peace when you know joy is coming. So Jesus tells his disciples, “Your sorrow will turn into joy” (v 20)He compares what they’re about to endure to childbirth: “When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world.” (v 21) The disciples are the woman in Jesus’ example, giving birth. Their pain will be real! But it’s the beginning of the story, not the end. When they encounter Jesus alive, He promises they’ll be overjoyed!While the primary meaning of “a little while” relates to the three days between the crucifixion and resurrection, commentators often identify a secondary, deeper meaning regarding the “little while” between Christ’s Ascension and His promised Second Coming. Jesus is talking not only about the three days between his crucifixion and resurrection but also about the 2,000-plus years between his ascension and second coming. In other words, “a little while” is for us too. During this time, believers will not see Him physically but experience Him through the presence of the Holy Spirit, continuously looking forward to ultimately seeing him face-to-face.Jesus says resurrection brings a joy so great we’ll no longer remember the anguish. Paul reiterates this in his letter to the church in Rome, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed in us.” (Rom 8:18) I don’t think this means that we are able or required to forget the sufferings we experience in this life on earth, but that our memories are transformed, overwhelmed by joy. We’ll be like laughing mothers recounting birth stories that were once so painful.But for now, we have a pregnant faith, waiting for delivery, for the final resurrection to come. And we aren’t alone. Again the Apostle Paul writes, “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the first-fruits - we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.” (Rom 8:22-23)“In a little while we’ll be with the Father - can’t you see Him smile? In a little while we’ll be home forever, in a while. We’re just here to learn to love Him. We’ll be home in just a little while.”Big Picture Questions for Today:* What do you do when “a little while” feels unending?* Who can you encourage today, to hang onto Jesus through their present suffering, knowing that He will make all things new and right?Pray for courage in Christ as we wait for the redemption of our bodies, for hope as we eagerly wait with patience, knowing that in our waiting we are being conformed into the likeness of God’s Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.With all of this remembering of Amy Grant’s Age to Age album, I leave you with “In a Little While.” However, I can’t just leave it there. I’ll have the entire album playing on my HomePod Mini the remainder of the day!In A Little While This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 35A friend or an adult child feels rejected. You know something has gone sideways in the relationship, but can’t quite put your finger on when or why. A client is angry. Angry that he is in this position with his wife, once again. Angry that he has to seek out and pay for professional counseling just to live peaceably with her. A neighbor’s spouse is terminally ill. You want to help, but where do you begin? It’s just so sad. How do we come alongside those who are simultaneously hurting and hurting others? We need a counselor. Someone to help us view ourselves and others rightly.In his book, Saints, Sufferers and Sinners: Loving Others as God Loves Us, Dr. Mike Emlet lays out a clear model of how God sees and loves his people primarily as saints, while bringing comfort to the sufferer, and faithfully speaking truth to the sinner. Of course, his thesis presumes that the reader is in fact a believer in Jesus.“[F]or the believer, the designation ‘saint’ is more foundational than the designation ‘sufferer’ or ‘sinner.’ We experience a fundamental identity shift when we become believers. When we turn from our sin to God in repentance, receiving and resting on Jesus and his righteousness by faith, a seismic shift in our souls occurs. We are now people in Christ.”In today’s reading, Jesus acknowledges that the things He has been sharing with His disciples are hard and confusing for them to hear, even frightening. He explains that He will send the Perfect Counselor to them soon. This Counselor would explain everything in a way that they could clearly understand. He would approach them as the saints, sufferers and sinners that they are. But there was a catch…Jesus would have to leave first.Read John 15:26-16:15“When the Counselor comes…” (15:26) This phrase refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus to His disciples, but the Holy Spirit’s coming had been promised long before Jesus’ Farewell Discourse. The Spirit was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, for example, when God spoke through the prophet Joel, “I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions.” (Joel 2:28-29) God’s promise to pour out His Spirit on all people would be initiated through the Spirit’s arrival at Pentecost, marking the beginning of His active role in the world and the church.The Holy Spirit, referred to as “the Counselor” in the CSB and “the Helper” in other translations, would testify or bear witness about Jesus once He was no longer with the disciples. These men, the ones who had been with Jesus from the beginning of His three-year ministry, would also testify about Jesus, bearing witness of all they had seen and heard and pointing others towards salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone. In effect, the Spirit would counsel Jesus’ followers and they would in turn, counsel others. Mike Emlet admits that “Counseling is hard work. It involves a deep dive into the particulars of suffering and sin in the context of a trusting relationship. In the midst of talking about all that is not right, it’s important to surface for air and gain fresh gospel perspective.” This would be exactly what the Perfect Counselor would provide, and so much more.I appreciate the Amplified Bible’s translation of verses 8-9:“And He, when He comes, will convict the world about [the guilt of] sin [and the need for a Savior], and about righteousness, and about judgment: about sin [and the true nature of it], because they do not believe in Me [and My message]; about righteousness [personal integrity and godly character], because I am going to My Father and you will no longer see Me; about judgment [the certainty of it], because the ruler of this world (Satan) has been judged and condemned. (v 8-9, AMP)In these verses we see that the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, would not be limited to the roles of witness and comforter. He would come with the power to convict the world in regards to sin, righteousness and judgement. It would not be Jesus’ followers’ responsibility to convince unbelievers of the truth about Jesus. The Spirit would do that heavy lifting. The term “convict” implies a legal or judicial process, suggesting the Holy Spirit’s role in revealing truth and exposing error. The “world” here refers to humanity in its fallen state, often in opposition to God. The Spirit’s work is universal, not merely limited to believers, and involves bringing awareness of spiritual realities to all people.The Holy Spirit would primarily convict the world of sin, highlighting humanity’s rebellion against God. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23) This conviction is necessary for repentance and salvation. Sin, in this context, is primarily unbelief in Jesus. (from v 9) The Spirit’s role is to reveal the truth of Jesus’ identity and mission, leading people to recognize their need for a Savior.Secondly, the Counselor would convict concerning righteousness. Righteousness here refers to the standard of holiness required by God, exemplified in the perfect life and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, who fulfilled all righteousness. This conviction also involves revealing the inadequacy of human righteousness and the necessity of Christ’s righteousness imputed to believers, as the Apostle Paul puts it so simply yet powerfully, “He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor 5:21)Finally, the Holy Spirit Helper would convict the world of judgment, emphasizing the reality of divine justice. This includes the judgment of Satan, the ruler of this world, who would be thoroughly condemned through Jesus’ upcoming victory on the cross. (from v 11) The Spirit’s conviction would also serve as a warning and call to repentance before the future judgment of all humanity, where each person will be held accountable for their response to Jesus. John describes this final judgement in detail following the end times vision he experienced while exiled on the Island of Patmos:“Then I saw a great white throne and one seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; each one was judged according to their works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Rev 20:11-15)There was no way the disciples could have handled all of this detail, and Jesus said as much, “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth…He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.” (vv 12-14)Big Picture Questions for Today:* There are so many hard things existing in our bodies, our families, our communities, our world. How are we to begin to process and understand God’s purposes in our pain and suffering?* How does the Holy Spirit, your Perfect Counselor, help you make sense of the storms in your life? How can you lean into His presence, conveying Jesus’ thoughts and desires in deeply personal ways?Pray and thank Father God and the Son for sending you the most Perfect Counselor in the person of the Holy Spirit. Make an intentional decision to listen to His wise counsel and obey. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

I AM - The Way, The Truth and The LifeHappy Palm Sunday! Today marks our sixth and final Lenten Feast Day!! On this Lord’s Day, enjoy worshiping with your church family through songs and hymns, through the reading and teaching of God’s Word, through giving cheerfully, through waving those palm branches and enjoying the blessed gift of food, chocolate, social media, or anything you may have set aside for your Lenten promise.Palm Sunday officially kicks off what Christians all over the world refer to as Holy Week or Passion Week. Passion Week includes the seven days between Palm Sunday and the Saturday before Easter, or Resurrection Sunday. Before we move into the sixth I AM statement Jesus made in the gospel of John, let’s dig into the meaning of Passion Week:* The first records of the term Passion Week come from the 1300s.* It commemorates the seven days leading up to Easter:* Beginning with the commemoration of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday* Climaxing with the commemoration of the Last Supper and* The Passion of Jesus on Good Friday* Holy Week concludes with Christ’s death and descent into hell on Saturday* In this context, the word Passion is used to refer to the period of trials and suffering that Jesus experienced before his death.* Suffering means passio in Latin, thus the suffering of Christ is referred to as His Passion.Now on to Jesus’ I AM Statement for the day!The Seven I AM’sEach Sunday of #LentenDaily 2026 we have focused on a specific I AM statement made by Jesus to His followers. Jesus’ I AM statements would have particular significance to the first-century Jewish listener. Just as God had revealed Himself to Moses as the “I AM” when calling him to return to Egypt and lead His people out of slavery, Jesus used the same words to describe Himself throughout His ministry, as recorded by John. More specifically, “I AM WHO I AM” (Hebrew: Ehyeh asher ehyeh) is a profound declaration from Exodus 3:14, where God reveals His name to Moses as the self-existent, eternal, and faithful Deliverer. Signifying that God is not dependent on anything else for existence and is present with His people, this name represents an immutable, self-sufficient, and ever-present being. When “God replied to Moses, “‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.’” (Ex 3:14), He was revealing Himself as the eternal, invincible, covenant-keeping God that He was, is and always will be.Today we will take a look at the sixth of Jesus’ I AM claims, I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life.Read John 14:1-14How did we live without GPS, or Global Positioning Systems? I certainly didn’t grow up with GPS. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that GPS became accessible and reliable for everyday use. Before GPS, navigation relied on physical paper maps, road atlases, compasses, and asking locals for directions, often requiring pre-trip planning and manual tracking of locations. I remember before our young family would go on a road trip, Dale would print out detailed directions to our destination, but even then, sometimes the roads would have changed, requiring frequent stops to check signs or ask for help.In today’s reading, Jesus is continuing His Farewell Discourse, sharing more details about where He is heading next. He is preparing the disciples for His imminent departure, and they are obviously confused and troubled by this news. Jesus encourages them to remember that they do believe in God; therefore they can believe also in Him. Throughout history, God’s people have learned, at varying rates, that God is faithful and true. They could trust Him to provide for and protect them, to fulfill all of His promises to them. While this new turn in the directions didn’t seem to make sense, the disciples knew and trusted God and could now trust Jesus.He then begins to fill in some details about where He is going - His Father’s house, or heaven, in which there is plenty of room for all of them to come and live forever. Jesus is going ahead of them, to ready their rooms, but will come again and take them there. His next statement sends shock waves through the group, “You know the way to where I am going.” (v 4) What? How could they know the way to heaven, to Father God’s house? Up until that point, God’s presence had only existed in the Holy of Holies, in the temple. He stayed behind the heavy curtain and only the Jewish priests were allowed to enter into that holy space. And even if they knew how to get there, it wasn’t accessible to them.Thomas expressed what everyone was thinking, “Lord, we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?” (v 5) to which Jesus replied, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (v 6) Jesus was definitively claiming to be the exclusive, essential pathway to God - “the way.” There are no shortcuts or detours. He is also the ultimate revelation of reality - “the truth,” and the only source of eternal life - “the life.” He was and is the new GPS System!This profound statement was a pivotal claim of Jesus’ divinity and should be interpreted as a declaration that the path to, knowledge of and life with God is found solely through a personal, relational connection with Him through Christ.Interestingly, “The Way” (Greek: hē hodos) was the original, 1st-century name for the early Christian movement, as seen throughout the Book of Acts, describing a radical, alternative way of life rather than just a set of beliefs and featuring communal sharing, equality across social classes, and daily devotion to Jesus’ teachings before the term “Christian” became common.Finally, enjoy this beautiful worship song from CityAlight, The Way, the Truth and the Life. Pay close attention to the lyrics of the chorus:I will follow the Son, He goes before meThrough death into glory, preparing the wayTill the day He returns, I walk with assuranceFor I know the Way, and the Truth, and the Life This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 34The cross of Christ and the stars and stripes of the American flag, when paired together, make a clear statement, triggering debate and unleashing a tension between faith and national identity. While many view this blend as a patriotic celebration of faith, others believe the clash of these two symbols as an improper merger of the sacred with political nationalism.While the cross signifies humility and Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the world, the American flag is rightly, in my opinion, often used to signify power, strength, and national superiority. But in the combining of these two symbols - the cross and the flag - in church sanctuaries or political rallies, there is a jarring juxtaposition that evokes strong reactions. Some find comfort in this association, while others view it as an inappropriate blurring of sacred and secular.In today’s reading, two symbols clash - the palms and the donkey. How does Jesus handle this clash? Let’s read and find out.Read John 12:12-19Jesus’ triumphal entry, with people waving palm branches to greet him, is celebrated around the world as “Palm Sunday,” which we will celebrate tomorrow. For Jews at this time in history, waving palms was something like waving the national flag. Two centuries before, when the Maccabees were victorious over the Syrian tyrant Antiochus and cleansed the temple, they cut down palms to wave as they made their victory march around Jerusalem. Since then, palms had been a sign of Israelite independence and a memorial of their revolutionary victory. So when the crowds greeted Jesus with palms raised high, quoting from Psalm 118, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord —the King of Israel!” (v 13) they meant, and this is my paraphrase, “Save us, Son of David, lead us to regain our freedom from the Romans, the way the Maccabees led the revolution against the Syrian tyrant! We’re ready to follow you into salvation!”Honestly, they had good reason to view Jesus as their current hope for deliverance from Roman oppression. They had heard or possibly even witnessed Jesus’ raising of Lazarus from the dead. If Jesus had that kind of power, He must be the prophesied descendant of King David who would kick Rome out and restore independence to their little country. Jesus anticipated that false understanding by choosing to enter on a donkey, reminding them of the peacemaking king celebrated in Zechariah 9:9, in which the prophet Zechariah encourages God’s people to look to the future king who would proclaim peace to the nations and whose dominion would be vast, “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you; he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zech 9:9) Jesus answers the palm waving by choosing a donkey, not a warhorse as His vehicle into the holy city.Tomorrow, as we wave our palm branches in remembrance of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry, let’s keep these clashing symbols in mind.Big Picture Questions for Today:* How does today’s devotion sit with you? Are you feeling provoked, even irritated with my take on clashing symbols?Pray Psalm 118 today, in its entirety. There will be several familiar phrases that will be a source of comfort and peace.Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;his faithful love endures forever.Let Israel say,“His faithful love endures forever.”Let the house of Aaron say,“His faithful love endures forever.”Let those who fear the Lord say,“His faithful love endures forever.”I called to the Lord in distress;the Lord answered meand put me in a spacious place.The Lord is for me; I will not be afraid.What can a mere mortal do to me?The Lord is my helper;therefore, I will look in triumph on those who hate me.It is better to take refuge in the Lordthan to trust in humanity.It is better to take refuge in the Lordthan to trust in nobles.All the nations surrounded me;in the name of the Lord I destroyed them.They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me;in the name of the Lord I destroyed them.They surrounded me like bees;they were extinguished like a fire among thorns;in the name of the Lord I destroyed them.They pushed me hard to make me fall,but the Lord helped me.The Lord is my strength and my song;he has become my salvation.There are shouts of joy and victoryin the tents of the righteous:“The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!The Lord’s right hand is raised.The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!”I will not die, but I will liveand proclaim what the Lord has done.The Lord disciplined me severelybut did not give me over to death.Open the gates of righteousness for me;I will enter through themand give thanks to the Lord.This is the Lord’s gate;the righteous will enter through it.I will give thanks to youbecause you have answered meand have become my salvation.The stone that the builders rejectedhas become the cornerstone.This came from the Lord;it is wondrous in our sight.This is the day the Lord has made;let’s rejoice and be glad in it.Lord, save us!Lord, please grant us success!He who comes in the nameof the Lord is blessed.From the house of the Lord we bless you.The Lord is God and has given us light.Bind the festival sacrifice with cordsto the horns of the altar.You are my God, and I will give you thanks.You are my God; I will exalt you.Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;his faithful love endures forever. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 33Taylor Swift - Shake It Off from 2:42-end“I hear what people are saying about me, that I can’t dance, that I’m super awkward. My response? Write a song about it.” Released in 2014 as the lead single from her album 1989, Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” was written as a direct, empowering response to intense media scrutiny, gossip, and public criticism regarding her life and music. Taylor knew exactly how she wanted to respond to the haters in her music video. To dance as awkwardly as she could and have so much fun doing it.In today’s reading, Jesus shares that “Haters Gonna Hate” his disciples and all who follow after Him. While it might seem on the surface that they hate us, their true problem is with Jesus.Read John 15:18-25Jesus and His disciples have left the upper room where they had experienced their last supper together. They walked through the dimly lit streets of Jerusalem, out the gate and across the Kidron Valley, then back to Gethsemane, where they had been camping each night the previous week. As they walked, Jesus continued His Farewell Discourse. Perhaps as they walked past other pilgrims finishing up their own Passover seders, they heard accusations or threats made towards Jesus, or simply felt their loathing of Him. Maybe one of the disciples came out and asked Jesus, “Why do they hate us so much? What did we ever do to them?”Jesus answered, “If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you.” (v 18) I can imagine the disciples thinking, “Okay Jesus, but that’s not really helping.” Jesus’ words of caution, of expectation, were not only for the men walking with Him that evening, but for all God has chosen out of the world (from v 19) including present-day believers. Christians should not be surprised that unbelievers in the world hate them. I don’t know about you, but I am always surprised, always blindsided when I experience hate from another. Yet, Jesus’ prediction follows a pattern seen in the world since Cain murdered Abel. Later, in his letter to the churches, John would fill out and reiterate Jesus’ reasoning:“For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another, unlike Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him—how does God’s love reside in him? Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth. (1 John 3:11-18)If Jesus had not come, had not fulfilled the Messianic prophecies, had not demonstrated sign after sign of HIs divinity, the world would not be guilty of sin. But that was not the case. Because of God’s great love for this rejecting, hating world, “He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16) And so Jesus declares, “Now they have no excuse for their sin.” (v 22) God had made a way, yet the response of so many, Jews and Gentiles alike, rejected the supreme revelation of God that came in Christ Himself, a sin that particularly manifested in hating Christ and all who love and follow Him.The Apostle Paul also writes of humanity’s lack of excuse for rejecting and hating God in his theological treatise to the church in Rome:“For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse. For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.Therefore God delivered them over in the desires of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served what has been created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.” (Rom 1:18-25)Finally, Jesus assures his dear friends that the haters are going to hate in order to fulfill Scripture and quotes Psalm 69:4, “They hated me for no reason.” This Davidic psalm depicts the figure of a righteous sufferer who is zealous for God but is persecuted by God’s enemies for no good reason. David writes, “Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head; my deceitful enemies, who would destroy me, are powerful. Though I did not steal, I must repay.” (Ps 69:4) While the specific context for David’s cry for help is not clearly stated, I have to imagine that it could have been during that season when King Saul was on the hunt for David, determined to eliminate the threat to his kingdom. Jesus identifies a precedent for his enemies’ hatred toward Him in the antagonism encountered by David. Hatred and persecution against Jesus and his followers is often not because of any wrong that they have done but simply because of irrational evil in the hearts of their persecutors.This wasn’t the first time Jesus had addressed the hatred of the world towards those who follow Him. In His seminal Sermon on the Mount, Jesus concludes his upside-down rationale regarding those who are poor, destitute, and mourning with this blessing:“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matt 5:10-12)And Peter would later write, “For what credit is there if when you do wrong and are beaten, you endure it? But when you do what is good and suffer, if you endure it, this brings favor with God. (1 Peter 2:20)Haters gonna hate. If we are hated for our trust in and obedience to God, we are in good company.Big Picture Questions for Today:* Have you experienced hatred from others because of your love for God and your righteous life?* Do you tend to feel blessed when that happens, or singled out or victimized?Pray for eyes to see the hatred of the world for what it is - a hatred of God and all who are associated with and belong to HIm. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 32Horatio Spafford was a successful lawyer, businessman, and devout Christian who lived in Chicago in the late 19th century. However, his life was marked by tragedy and loss, including the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed much of his real estate holdings, and the death of his only son shortly thereafter. Despite these setbacks, Spafford remained committed to his faith and continued to work tirelessly to help others, including those affected by the fire and those in need of spiritual guidance.In 1873, Spafford decided to take his family on a trip to Europe, hoping that the change of scenery and the opportunity to meet with fellow Christians would lift their spirits. Spafford’s wife Anna and their four daughters boarded a ship named the Ville du Havre and set sail for Europe. However, tragedy struck once again when the Ville du Havre collided with another ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and sank, killing 226 passengers, including Spafford’s four daughters. Hymnologist Ira Sankey writes in My Life and the Sto­ry of the Gos­pel Hymns:In mid-ocean a col­li­sion took place with a large sail­ing ves­sel, caus­ing the steam­er to sink in half an hour. Near­ly all on board were lost. Mrs. Spaf­ford got her child­ren out of their berths and up on deck.On be­ing told that the ves­sel would soon sink, she knelt down with her child­ren in pray­er, ask­ing God that they might be saved if pos­si­ble; or be made will­ing to die, if that was His will.In a few min­utes the ves­sel sank to the bot­tom of the sea, and the child­ren were lost. One of the sail­ors of the ves­sel, named Lock­urn—whom I af­ter­ward met in Scot­land—while row­ing ov­er the spot where the ves­sel dis­ap­peared, dis­co­vered Mrs. Spaf­ford float­ing in the wa­ter.Ten days lat­er she was land­ed at Car­diff, Wales. From there she ca­bled to her hus­band, a law­yer in Chi­ca­go [Il­li­nois], the mes­sage “Saved alone.”Can you even imagine? Upon receiving news of the tragedy, Spafford immediately set out for Europe to be with his grieving wife. While on the journey, Spafford wrote a poem that would later be set to music and become one of the most beloved hymns of all time: “It is Well with My Soul.”In today’s short reading, we witness Jesus share the gift of His peace with His disciples. I can almost hear the opening line of the first verse of Spafford’s hymn of lament, “When peace like a river attendeth my way…”Read John 14:27-31The Passover Seder is coming to an end. Jesus shares some final thoughts before leaving for the Garden of Gethsemane. So far His Farewell Discourse has consisted of a new command to love one another through sacrifice and service as well as the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. Here Jesus shares one more gift - His peace, His shalom. He says, “My peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you.” (v 27) In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for peace is shalom, and in the New Testament the Greek word is eirene. The most basic meaning of shalom is “complete or whole.” Hold on! We’ve been learning about completeness through another symbol in the Gospel of John - the number seven. The 7th day, a 7-fold pattern, the 7 “I AM” statements and the 7 signs and miracles demonstrating Jesus’ divinity all denote a state where nothing is missing, all is complete - the essence of Shalom. Am I the only one who finds incredible peace in our God’s intentionality?Shalom can also refer to a stone that has a perfect whole shape with no cracks or a completed stone wall that has no gaps and no missing bricks. Shalom refers to something that’s complex with lots of pieces that’s in a state of completeness, wholeness, conveying not merely the absence of conflict and turmoil but also the notion of positive blessing, especially in terms of a right relationship with God. And here’s the kicker - this peace may be manifested most clearly amid persecution and tribulation. The core idea is that life is complex, full of moving parts and relationships and situations, and when any of these is out of alignment or missing, shalom breaks down. Life is no longer whole. It needs to be restored. In fact, that’s the basic meaning of shalom when you use it as a verb. To bring shalom literally means to make complete or restore.So Jesus gives His disciples the gift of His peace and then explains why they are going to need it. There will be a parade of hard and confusing happenings over the next few days. They will be fearful and anxious in their bodies as they enter into the chaos and confusion. Most important He wants them prepared for the ruler of this world, Satan, coming in the person of Judas and those with him. Jesus iterates that He is not subject to Satan, for Satan has no claim on Him. Satan cannot force Jesus to do anything, because Jesus willingly submits to the suffering that is to come, out of obedience to his Father, “so that the world may know that I love the Father.” (v 31)Jesus was the whole, complete human that neither His disciples or we could be, and now He gives us His life of peace, of shalom, as a gift. This means that we as Jesus’ followers are now called to cultivate peace. The Apostle Paul instructed the church at Ephesus to keep their unity through the bond of peace, requiring significant humility and patience, bearing with others in love:“Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling - one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. (Eph 4:1-6)Becoming people of peace means participating in the life of Jesus, who reconciled all things in heaven and earth, restoring peace through his death and resurrection. Peace takes a lot of work because it’s not just the absence of conflict. True peace requires taking what’s broken and restoring it to wholeness, whether it’s in our lives, our relationships, or in our world. It’s not how the world offers peace, numbing or shutting out the hard parts of our current state, but how Jesus offers it - by giving Himself.Big Picture Questions for Today:* How has Christ’s peace carried you, settled you, given you the will to trust and obey?* How are you cultivating peace in your relationships? Is there a specific relationship that is not marked by peace? How might you take steps to restore it to wholeness?Pray and thank Jesus for His gift of peace. Look for expressions of that peace today - in creation, in interactions with others - and acknowledge it as His good gift to you.Lastly, please enjoy Horatio Spafford’s hymn, “It is Well With My Soul,” inspired by Spafford’s own personal tragedy and his unwavering faith in God. This beautiful song of lament is complete with movements of cry for help, complaint, a bold ask and trust in his God’s sovereignty. Each verse is followed by the refrain, “It is well with my soul; It is well, it is well with my soul.” You can almost hear Spafford calming, resting in His Savior’s peace, hopeful and comforted even in the face of overwhelming tragedy.It Is Well With My Soul | Reawaken Hymns | Official Lyric Video This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 31She knew she didn’t have much time left on this earth, in this body that was decaying at an accelerated rate. In the spring of 2020, my sweet mother knew that her life was coming to an end and she began to share important truths, memories, and requests with me. Things she needed me to remember and take care of once she was gone.One of those tasks involved her lovely and extensive collection of rings. She wanted each of her granddaughters to have a specific ring. She asked me to bring her jewelry box to her bed. We opened it and one by one, she picked up a ring, told me the story behind it and which granddaughter she wanted to have it. I took notes as she spoke. I knew that soon I would need to wrap these gifts with a note for each of the girls. It was obvious from her selections that she knew her granddaughters intimately. Each ring a unique match and reflection of Gran’s love for them.My mother knew that her time was coming to a close. She didn’t spend those last six months talking about the weather. She shared what was most important for me and others to know. The same was true for Jesus as He shared a last meal with His disciples the night before He died. It was during this Upper Room Discourse that Jesus chose to talk about a gift that the guys and all believers would receive after He died - the promised Holy Spirit.Read John 14:15-26When it comes to the Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - without a doubt, the Holy Spirit is the most mysterious of the three. It’s the person within the Trinity we know the least about. It’s intriguing that some of Jesus’ last words to his disciples are filled with teaching about the Holy Spirit, which shows how important He is. As we dig into Jesus’ final instructions, we learn more about who the Spirit is and what He does.Who the Spirit IsFirst, who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity and is co-equal, co-eternal, and fully God alongside the Father and Son. Having just instructed His disciples to love one another as He has loved them, Jesus recognizes that this will be no easy task for them. He will “ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor” (v 16) to join them once He is no longer with them. A legal term, meaning “advocate or helper,” Jesus also refers to the Counselor as “the Spirit of Truth.” He shares the same divine nature as God the Father and Jesus Himself; a personal being with a mind, emotions and will. And just as Jesus only does the will of the Father, so does the Holy Spirit, acting as the active presence of God in the world.What the Spirit DoesSecond, what does the Spirit do? The Holy Spirit was prominent in creation and throughout the Old Testament, bringing calm and order to chaos. As early as Genesis 1:2 we read, “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.” The Spirit was visibly present for Jesus when He was baptized in the Jordan River at the start of His ministry and then led Him into the wilderness for 40 days of temptation.Jesus assures His disciples that they know the Spirit; He will indwell Jesus’ followers forever, functioning as a divine emissary in his physical absence. Later, the promise of the divine presence with Jesus’ followers includes not only the Spirit, but Jesus and the Father as well. “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (v 23) Not a mere force or feeling, the Spirit is a divine person who indwells believers, providing counsel, comfort, and sanctification. The Spirit guides believers toward truth and inspires righteous living. The Spirit also convicts individuals of sin, leading them to repentance. After salvation, the Holy Spirit lives inside Christians permanently, literally tabernacling within them with God’s presence, much like the pillar of cloud that would hover over the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy Place within the tabernacle and temple. No longer must believers go to the temple to enter God’s presence. The Holy Spirit resides within, empowering them to live godly lives, helping them pray, and unleashing spiritual gifts.The Apostle Paul shares an appropriate prayer for the Ephesian Church, specifically citing the Holy Spirit’s role:“For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us - to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph 3:14-21)Big Picture Question for Today:* How do you see evidences of the Holy Spirit in your life?Pray for better understanding and reliance on the Holy Spirit for counsel, power, courage and peace.Finally, I’d love to share a song that has long reminded me of the depth and breadth of the Holy Spirit and His work in my life. Often in hymns and worship music, a clear understanding of the third Person of the Trinity seems to be quite narrow. We sing about Him as if His sole purpose is to liven up our services by showing up when we ask Him to, give us warm feelings as well as the occasional spiritual gift.“Holy Spirit Living Breath of God,” written in 2005 by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, seeks to point to the central vitality of the Spirit in every area of our lives: applying the word of God to our lives; bearing His multi-faceted fruit in us and shaping us into the likeness of Christ. If you’re anything like me, you’ll play this song on loop for the remainder of the day.Holy Spirit Living Breath of God (Official Lyric Video) - Keith & Kristyn GettyHoly Spirit Living Breath of God, Keith Getty and Stuart TownendHoly Spirit, living breath of God,Breathe new life into my willing soul.Let the presence of the risen Lord,Come renew my heart and make me whole.Cause Your Word to come alive in me;Give me faith for what I cannot see,Give me passion for Your purity;Holy Spirit, breathe new life in me.Holy Spirit, come abide within,May Your joy be seen in all I do.Love enough to cover every sin,In each thought and deed and attitude.Kindness to the greatest and the least,Gentleness that sows the path of peace.Turn my strivings into works of grace;Breath of God show Christ in all I do.Holy Spirit, from creation’s birth,Giving life to all that God has made,Show Your power once again on earth,Cause Your church to hunger for your ways.Let the fragrance of our prayers arise;Lead us on the road of sacrifice,That in unity the face of ChristMay be clear for all the world to see.Keith Getty & Stuart Townend Copyright © 2005 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 30Have you ever heard of Attachment Theory? While a secular psychological theory, I find Attachment Styles Theory to be an incredibly helpful tool in helping many of my clients understand better why they react to their closest friends and family the way they do. While in seminary, I was trained in reinterpreting secular theories through the lens of the gospel found throughout Scripture and have discovered in my work origins and whispers of Attachment Theory throughout the Redemptive narrative, going back as far as the Garden of Eden. Perhaps a quick summary of Attachment Theory would be helpful before moving on.Attachment, or the attachment bond, is the emotional connection formed as an infant and toddler with one’s primary caregiver - usually one or both parents, but can also include grandparents and even older siblings. According to Attachment Theory, pioneered by British psychiatrist John Bowlby and broadened by American psychologist Mary Ainsworth, the quality of the bonding one experiences during this first relationship often determines the degree to which one relates to other people and responds to intimacy throughout life. Ainsworth and her colleagues created the famous “Strange Situation” study in 1969. In this study, infants between the age of 9 and 18 months were observed throughout a series of 8 episodes lasting approximately 3 minutes each, whereby a mother, child, and adult stranger are introduced, separated, and reunited. This experiment has been replicated multiple times over the course of the past 50 years, enabling researchers to agree on four basic styles of attachment - one secure and three insecure - and these attachment styles are solidified in a child’s nervous system by age 24-months.Secure attachment is fostered in environments in which there is a premium placed on empathy, attunement, mindfulness and the proper setting of limits. Therefore, if your primary caregiver made you feel safe and understood as an infant, if they were able to respond to your cries and accurately interpret your changing physical and emotional needs, then you likely developed a successful, secure attachment. As an adult, that usually translates to being self-confident, trusting, and hopeful, with an ability to healthily manage conflict, respond to intimacy, and navigate the ups and downs of intimate relationships. It also enables you to more easily trust in your Father God’s good plans and purposes for you. You have less trouble believing that God exists, that He is for you, and has made a way for you to be adopted into His family through the perfect life, sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.However, if you experienced confusing, frightening, or inconsistent emotional communication during infancy and early childhood; if your caregiver was unable to consistently comfort you or respond to your needs, you are more likely to have experienced an unsuccessful or insecure attachment. Infants and toddlers with insecure attachment often grow into adults who have difficulty understanding their own emotions and the feelings of others, limiting their ability to build or maintain stable relationships. You may find it difficult to connect to others, shy away from intimacy, or be too clingy, fearful, or anxious in a relationship. And not only are those horizontal relationships negatively affected, but relationship with God can be impacted as well. The fear that God will not take care of you is deeply entrenched in your neural pathways, causing you to doubt His goodness and provision. Much like Adam and Eve when they sinned by eating the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, you respond to God by covering up, hiding, and blame shifting. (from Genesis 3)In today’s reading, I want us to pay attention to the often overlooked clues to the attachment styles John, Judas Isacariot and Simon Peter had, and how their secure or insecure connections directly impact their relationship and reactions to Jesus.Read John 13:21-38Judas Iscariot - Avoidant Dismissive AttachmentHaving just washed all of His disciples’ feet, then shared the prophecy of David’s Psalm 41, “Even my friend in whom I trusted, one who ate my bread, has raised his heel against me,” (Ps 41:9) Jesus was troubled in His spirit. He identifies with the profound betrayal David experienced by a trusted companion. This was a close friend - one who shared meals - who had turned against him with malice; returning kindness with a surprise kick in the teeth. The disciples as a group were uncertain of whom Jesus spoke. Judas’s outward behavior conformed so nearly to that of the other disciples, they did not immediately assume that Jesus was talking about him. As a matter of fact, because of Judas’ position at the Passover seder - he was seated to Jesus’ left - the others would have most likely concluded that Judas was honored above the others.We know that Judas Isacariot was smart and good with money, having been given the responsibility of overseeing the ministry‘s finances. While he occasionally is recorded as making his judgemental thoughts known, (for example, when he criticized Mary for pouring her expensive perfume over Jesus’ feet) Judas was more likely to avoid intimate and vulnerable conversations with Jesus and his fellow disciples. This leads me to wonder whether Judas had an Avoidant Dismissive Attachment Style. These adults tend to be so wary of closeness, they try to avoid emotional connection with others. They would rather not rely on others, or have others rely on them. Often people who have “control issues” can trace these origins to this attachment style. Judas certainly was scrambling for control over the Messiah-situation. Jesus was not handling the ministry details as Judas felt he should, leading him to question Jesus and even entertain betraying him to the authorities.So that evening, as Jesus is leading the Passover seder, He mentions that one of His dearest companions will betray Him. When asked who it might be, “Jesus replied, ‘He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.’ When he had dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son. After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan entered him. So Jesus told him, ‘What you’re doing, do quickly.’” (vv 26-27)Simon Peter - Anxious Preoccupied AttachmentSimon had early on been set apart as the leader of the discipleship group by Jesus, given a new name, Peter meaning “rock” and at least in the Synoptics is portrayed as impulsive, blurting out whatever he is thinking or feeling without calmly considering the consequences of his words. In this vignette, Peter is not sitting in the seat of honor, on either side of Jesus. In fact, he has to strain to hear what Jesus said about someone betraying Him and whispers to John to ask Jesus to identify the betrayer. A person with an Anxious Preoccupied Attachment Style finds it difficult to observe boundaries in relationships, viewing space as a threat, provoking panic, anger or fear that your friend, parent or spouse no longer wants you. There is a tendency to overreact to any perceived threats to the relationship and you need constant reassurance and attention from your loved one, that everything between you is okay.When Jesus tells the guys that He is going somewhere they cannot follow, Peter doesn’t hear another word Jesus says about loving one another as He has loved them. He needs to know where Jesus is going. Jesus answers, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.” (v 36) Peter instinctively believes that he is being singled out, that he alone will not be allowed to follow Jesus. He asks, “Why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” (v 37) I can hear the anxious preoccupation, the desperate need to feel secure in this most important relationship, in Peter’s response, “Please Jesus! Don’t leave! Take me with you! I’ll do anything, just please let me come!”“Jesus replied, ‘Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.’” (v 38) In His kindness, Jesus provides a future grounding technique for Peter when he panics uncontrollably in the high priest’s courtyard and denies even knowing Jesus three times. Hearing the rooster’s crows will serve to bring Peter back to the present, helping to reset him and focus on what is true. Jesus predicted Peter’s adamant refusal of even knowing Him, yet loved him still. Later, post-resurrection, Jesus will engage with Peter’s anxious attachment three times, reminding him of His love for Peter and the role in the church he would play.John - Secure AttachmentThen there is John, the younger son of Zebedee, and most likely the youngest of the Twelve. John never refers to himself by name in his gospel writing, but rather “the one Jesus loved.” Today’s reading is where we are first introduced to John’s Secure Attachment Style. Empathetic and able to set appropriate boundaries, people with secure attachment tend to feel safe, stable, and more satisfied in their close relationships. While they don’t fear being on their own, they usually thrive in close, meaningful relationships. Having a secure attachment style didn’t mean that John was perfect or that he didn’t experience relationship problems. He was, of course nicknamed by Jesus a “Son of Thunder” along with his brother and fellow disciple, James. But John was obviously comfortable expressing his feelings, hopes, and needs. And when faced with disappointment or confusion in what Jesus said or did, he trusted in the security and safety of Jesus’ love for him, creating resiliency in the relationship.At the Passover Seder, John is seated on Jesus’ right side, practically reclining on Him, demonstrating an intimacy and trust that could only be the result of secure attachment. Therefore, John was the obvious choice to ask Jesus a private question, “Lord, who is it?” (v 25) Who is the one who will betray Him? Jesus answers in a clear way that simultaneously does not call out and publicly shame Judas, “He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.” (v 26)Next Jesus lovingly tells Judas to do what he is going to do. Again, Jesus doesn’t call him out or berate him in front of his peers. After Judas leaves, Jesus encourages the rest of His disciples to love one another in the same way He has loved them. Love would be the distinguishing mark of Jesus’ disciples, but not simply obeying the mosaic commands to love the Lord with all one’s powers and to love one’s neighbor as oneself. No, Jesus’ “new command” would deepen and transform these commands, including love for one’s enemies. The command to love was not new; but newness was found in loving one another as Jesus had loved them, being willing to lay down their lives for one another, as Jesus’ subsequent death would perfectly model. John’s Secure Attachment Style made it easier for him to believe and receive with assurance that Jesus loved him fully, trusting that whatever Jesus asked him to do, He would provide the resources and strength to do it.Big Picture Questions for Today:* When you consider your attachment to Jesus, is it easy or difficult for you to believe that you are the one Jesus loves?Pray Psalm 62 today, starting in verse 5:“Rest in God alone, my soul,for my hope comes from him.He alone is my rock and my salvation,my stronghold; I will not be shaken.My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock.My refuge is in God.Trust in him at all times, you people;pour out your hearts before him.God is our refuge.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 29“For the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.”The beloved New York Yankee baseball player, Henry Louis “Lou” Gehrig, had received a life altering diagnosis two weeks earlier, making sense of some of his growing struggles to play America’s game with his previous intensity. Having played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for his hometown team, the New York Yankees, Gehrig was renowned for his prowess as a hitter and for his durability, earning him the nickname “the Iron Horse.” Regarded as one of the greatest baseball players of all time, Gehrig had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, (ALS) the disease that today bears his name.On this hot and muggy June day in 1939, Gehrig walked up to the microphones, surrounded by his teammates and a packed Yankee Stadium and gave his inspiring farewell speech:“When you look around, wouldn’t you consider it a privilege to associate yourself with such fine looking men as are standing in uniform in this ballpark today.Sure I’m lucky.Who wouldn’t consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball’s greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy?Sure I’m lucky.When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift -- that’s something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies -- that’s something.When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter -- that’s something.When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your body -- it’s a blessing.When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed -- that’s the finest I know.So, I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I’ve got an awful lot to live for.”Today’s reading from John 13 begins what has come to be known as Jesus’ Farewell Discourse, four chapters chock full of Jesus’ final teachings to His disciples given the night before His crucifixion. In this farewell speech Jesus offers comfort, predicts future challenges, commissions them with a new commandment to love one another, promises the upcoming gift of the Holy Spirit and prays for their unity. In today’s reading, Jesus uses the symbol and practice of washing feet to exemplify servant leadership, something He knew these guys would struggle with.Read John 13:1-20I love getting a pedicure. Sitting in the big massage chair, a book on Audible read to me through my Airpods, I close my eyes and drift off while the sweet nail technician works her magic. She doesn’t do this for free. I am happy to pay not only the salon’s fee for the complete footwashing, but give a generous tip as well. I can’t imagine feeling this same way, being able to close my eyes and relax if my boss was the one giving me my pedicure!With his crucifixion imminent, Jesus washes his disciples’ feet as a final proof of his love for them, setting an example of humility and servanthood. More than that, though, is the significance of the washing away of sins made possible through Jesus’ upcoming death. In a striking demonstration of love for His disciples as well as His enemies, Jesus washes all of his disciples’ feet, including those of Judas Iscariot. Jesus’ act is all the more remarkable, as washing people’s feet was considered to be a task reserved for non-Jewish slaves. In a culture where people walked long distances on dusty roads in sandals, it was customary for home owners to arrange for water to be available for the washing of feet. Normally, this was done upon arrival, not during the meal. Perhaps the disciples and Jesus had already had their feet washed before entering the upper room where they were gathering, making Jesus’ act more confusing, even unnecessary.Jesus makes His way around the room, washing the feet of man after man, until He comes to Simon Peter who balks at this gesture, going as far as to say, “You will never wash my feet.” (v 8) Jesus explains that if He is not allowed to wash Simon’s feet, then he does not belong to Him. The footwashing symbolized the washing necessary for the forgiveness of sins; to be bathed in the cleansing blood of Christ, through faith, making Simon Peter completely, once and for all, clean. Peter couldn’t understand this great grace yet, but needed to trust that Jesus did.Of course Peter, the poster child of overcorrection, exclaims, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head,” (v 9) supplying Jesus opportunity to explain more fully the principle of washing. Those who have been washed through Jesus’ once-for-all death also need daily cleansing of their sins, symbolized by their frequent need to wash their feet. The disciples will understand fully only after the cross; for now, they grasp in part Jesus’ amazing humility, which will serve as a model for all of His future disciples.The writer of Hebrews describes the principle of washing in this way:“Therefore, believers, since we have confidence and full freedom to enter the Holy Place [the place where God dwells] by [means of] the blood of Jesus, by this new and living way which He initiated and opened for us through the veil [as in the Holy of Holies], that is, through His flesh, and since we have a great and wonderful Priest [Who rules] over the house of God, let us approach [God] with a true and sincere heart in unqualified assurance of faith, having had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb 10:19-22, AMP)Big Picture Questions for Today:* Have you ever witnessed a foot washing in a church service? How did it make you feel? Uncomfortable? Were you so glad you weren’t in that chair while your pastor washed your feet?* How might you engage in a daily cleansing of your spiritual feet, dirtied by your journey through the brokenness of the world?Pray for a greater understanding of this first installment of Jesus’ Farewell Discourse and how you might live fully connected to Christ, regularly receiving the washing of the Word. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

I AM - The Resurrection and The LifeYahoo! It is Sunday again and our fifth Feast Day!! On this Lord’s Day, enjoy worshiping with your church family, through songs and hymns, through the reading and teaching of God’s Word, through giving cheerfully, and enjoying the blessed gift of food, chocolate, social media, or anything you may have set aside for your Lenten promise.The Seven I AM’sEach Sunday of #LentenDaily 2026 we have focused on a specific I AM statement made by Jesus to His followers. Jesus’ I AM statements would have particular significance to the first-century Jewish listener. Just as God had revealed Himself to Moses as the “I AM” when calling him to return to Egypt and lead His people out of slavery, Jesus used the same words to describe Himself throughout His ministry, as recorded by John. More specifically, “I AM WHO I AM” (Hebrew: Ehyeh asher ehyeh) is a profound declaration from Exodus 3:14, where God reveals His name to Moses as the self-existent, eternal, and faithful Deliverer. Signifying that God is not dependent on anything else for existence and is present with His people, this name represents an immutable, self-sufficient, and ever-present being. When “God replied to Moses, “‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.’” (Ex 3:14), He was revealing Himself as the eternal, invincible, covenant-keeping God that He was, is and always will be.Today we will take a look at the fifth of Jesus’ I AM claims, I AM the Resurrection and the Life.Read John 11:17-27Now before we reflect on the love of Jesus in this story, it’s important to see the way that the story is working. On the one hand, our expectations are set from the beginning by Jesus’s words, “This sickness will not end in death but it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (11:6) So as readers, we’re ready for something big. We’re ready to be amazed, to see the glory of God. We’re ready for a sign. Remember, in the gospel of John, a sign is a public supernatural act done by Jesus in order to demonstrate his divine identity and awaken faith - Water into wine, healing the official’s son, healing at the pool in Bethesda, feeding the 5,000, healing the blind man - this gospel is filled with signs, so Jesus’ words raise our expectations as readers.At the same time, the unfolding of the story leads us to identify with the confusion of the disciples and Mary and Martha and the crowds. Because their expectations are not being met. Their hopes are not being fulfilled. Instead, their worst fears are coming true. And so they’re confused and sad and frustrated. When Jesus and His disciples finally reach Bethany, Martha goes out to the town entrance to meet Him. I don’t know about you, but I’m impressed and inspired by Martha’s faith in Jesus’ relationship with God. She is confident that whatever Jesus asks of the Father, He will grant. Martha’s theology is also solid. Her affirmation of end-time resurrection was in keeping with the beliefs of the Pharisees and the majority of first-century Jews, as well as Jesus’ previous teachings. Understandably Martha misunderstood the full importance of Jesus’ promise, “Your brother will rise again.” (v 23), thinking he was merely speaking of the final resurrection, but Jesus meant more. She was about to have her mind blown!Jesus does not merely say that he will bring about the future resurrection or that he will be the cause of the resurrection (both of which are true), but something much stronger when He proclaims, “I am the resurrection and the life.” (v 25) Jesus is claiming that He is the power of Resurrection - He is deity!Resurrection from the dead and genuine eternal life in fellowship with God are so closely tied to Jesus that they are embodied in him and can be found only in relationship to him. While Lazarus was raised to life when Jesus called him out of the tomb, he would eventually die again. Jesus would die, be raised to life, ascend to heaven and never taste death again. Spiritually, those who believe in Him shall never die, in that they too will ultimately triumph over death, hell and the grave, and live forever and ever, Amen.Please enjoy this beautiful Lenten song by Chris Tomlin throughout your Feast Day - “Resurrection Power.”Chris Tomlin - Resurrection Power (Lyric Video)You called me from the grave by nameYou called me out of all my shameI see the old has passed awayThe new has comeNow I have resurrection power living on the insideJesus, You have given us freedomNo longer bound by sin and darknessLiving in the light of Your goodnessYou have given us freedomThat I’m dressed in Your royaltyYour Holy Spirit lives in meAnd I see my past has been redeemedThe new has comeNow I have resurrection power living on the insideJesus, You have given us freedomI’m no longer bound by sin and darknessLiving in the light of Your goodnessYou have given us freedomFreedom, You have given us freedomYou have given us freedom, my chains are goneFreedom, You have given us freedomYou have given us freedom, hallelujah This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 28March Madness is here, and I’m not referring to the crazy weather we experienced this past week in the southeast. Of course I’m talking about the annual, single-elimination NCAA Division I basketball tournament, affectionately known as “March Madness” featuring 68 men’s and 68 women’s teams competing in March and early April to determine the national college basketball champion. Known for chaotic upsets and thrilling “bracket” contests, the tournament includes rounds of 64 teams, then narrows to 32. Next comes the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, and the Final Four. The 2026 March Madness tournament began with selections last Sunday, March 15. Games kicked off with the first rounds on Thursday and yesterday and will continue through the Final Four in Indianapolis on April 4 and 6. The time clock has started and nothing can stop it. There will be college teams that are shocked to make it into the tournament, while other powerhouse basketball schools will be devastated when they are upset by a Cinderella team.In today’s reading we witness Jesus acknowledging that the time clock of redemption has started. There is still much to do to fulfill the Messianic prophecies, but in keeping with the Father’s pattern at major transitions in Jesus’ life, He speaks exactly what His Son needs to hear.Read John 12:20-50You may have noticed I skipped over reading John 12:12-19, describing Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem to celebrate His last Passover in the holy city. We’ll jump back to that section of John’s gospel on Saturday, March 28, in preparation for Palm Sunday.Today’s quite lengthy passage concludes the first major part of John’s Gospel, narrating Jesus’ mission to the Jewish people. The arrival of some Greek Gentiles signals to Jesus that this part of His mission is quickly coming to an end. These were God-fearing, nonJews who had come to Jerusalem to worship at the festival and were so excited to meet Jesus! Before Jesus can fully reach out to the Gentiles, He first must die for the sins of everyone, Jews and Gentiles alike. When Jesus said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified,” (v 23) He was acknowledging that the clock on God’s plan of redemption had started. There was no undoing it now. Little did these God-fearing Gentiles know what the next week would mean for them, that Jesus would sacrifice His life so that they could have equal access to God. They wouldn’t have to remain in the Gentile Court of the temple much longer. God was making a way! The Apostle Paul described it this way:“But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace.” (Ephesians 2:13-15)Jesus then begins talking about His upcoming death, first comparing it to that of a grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies, yet germinates and produces much fruit. Second, He claims that “if I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself.” (v 32) indicating that He would be lifted up, hung on a cross and crucified. Any who would follow after Jesus would also need to exhibit self-sacrifice, or as Tim Keller described, self-forgetfulness. In his book, The Freedom of Forgetfulness, Keller describes the essence of gospel-humility as “not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself, it is thinking of myself less.” The clock is counting down to Jesus demonstrating the supreme self-sacrifice at the cross.Tick…tick…tick. As the clock begins counting down, Jesus is troubled in His soul. He is courageously honest with His disciples, “What should I say - Father, save me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour.” (v 27) Jesus was determined to accomplish His Father’s will even though his heart was already anxious as the agony of Gethsemane and the misery of Calvary drew closer. He then prays, “Father, glorify your name.” (v 28) Immediately the Father spoke from Heaven and said, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” (v 28) The voice of God resounded audibly from the sky! Such divine vocalizations are rare in Scripture, occurring most notably at defining moments in Jesus’ ministry. Remember at His baptism, the clouds parted and a Voice came from heaven and said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matt 3:17) And then on the mountain when Jesus was transfigured, the Father verbalized his affirmation again and added, “Listen to him!” (Matt 17:5)Don’t think for one second that Jesus needed reassurance. “This voice came, not for me, but for you.” (v 30) Knowing what horrors were to come, Jesus also knew his disciples would need all the assurance they could find to keep believing in Him during those dark hours. When God’s voice boomed directly from the sky, you would think everyone would have been thrilled and skeptics convinced. However, the startled crowd began to search for alternative explanations. “The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’” (v. 29)Events of eternal consequence were occurring in the unseen spiritual realm, but when those unbelievers with Jesus heard the manifestation of them - the very voice of God speaking from heaven - they misinterpreted them as natural events, revealing their spiritual blindness. Tick…tick…tick. The Light of the World would only be with them a little while longer. Jesus passionately invites them, “While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become children of light.” (v 36)Jesus came into the world as light that shines in the darkness, and the time clock was counting down, but there were still mixed reviews. Even though He had performed multiple signs and miracles proving His divinity, most did not believe. Then there were those who “did believe in him even among the rulers, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, so they would not be banned from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than praise from God.” (vv 42-43)Tick…tick…tick. John writes that Jesus then cried out to all those standing within earshot that belief in Him was really belief in the One who sent Him. You can hear the urgency in Jesus’ words, “And the one who sees me see Him who sent me.” (v 45) The clock is ticking…please don’t wait for the final buzzer!Big Picture Questions for Today:* How would you have reacted if you had been in the crowd that day? Some of the bystanders looked for a naturalistic explanation - thunder. Instead of hearing the voice of God, they simply thought it was going to rain. Others came up with a flawed supernatural interpretation - an angel’s voice.* Many today struggle to hear God’s voice amidst the stormy rumblings of modern day. Some opt for naturalistic explanations, explaining away everything from the creation of the universe to human freedom as the product of nature alone. Others are fascinated with angels and vague spirituality, but refuse to recognize Jesus as Lord.Pray for ears to hear the tick…tick…tick of the second clock of glory, when Jesus will return for His church. In 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, the Apostle Paul describes the timing this way: “For we say this to you by a word from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 27“Maria” - The Sound of Music (1965)“How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?” This question is asked and comically answered in the 1965 musical, The Sound of Music by the nuns at Nonnberg Abbey in Salzberg, Austria. They express their exasperation over postulant Maria’s free-spirited and undisciplined nature. While she possesses so many wonderful qualities, and exudes joy in all her observations and undertakings, Maria will not be forced into the conventional, strict and structured life of a convent.The sisters bring their complaints to Mother Superior concluding that Maria isn’t an asset to the Abbey. She climbs a tree, scrapes her knee, and waltzes and whistles her way through life - behavior not at all becoming of a proper nun. Mother Superior listens, but then asks, “How do you solve a problem like Maria?” It’s much like trying to pin a cloud down or stopping a wave on the sand.In today’s reading there is a problem that demands resolution. Lazarus and his sisters continue to have regular access to Jesus and unorthodox, bothersome, offensive information continues to be reported to the religious leaders in Jerusalem. How will they solve the Bethany problem?Read John 12:1-11The week before the official start to Passover, Jesus and His disciples come to Bethany. While there, Lazarus and his sisters host a dinner party for Him. They had so much to celebrate, as Lazarus was completely dead, but now is alive. They had no one else to thank but Jesus!Martha was serving the guests and Lazarus was reclining with Jesus and the others at the long table. I imagine they were laughing, joking, retelling the miracle they witnessed of Jesus calling Lazarus’ name and him walking out of his tomb from each of their perspectives. Perhaps they were peppering Lazarus with questions, “What was it like to be dead?” “Did you see anyone in heaven?” “What did you think when you woke up with burial cloths wrapped around your head?” “Why didn’t you take off the bandages covering your face at least, so you could see clearly?”Then all of a sudden, Mary enters the room, carrying perfume, and approaches Jesus to anoint His feet. Jesus and the others may not have noticed Mary, as they were all reclining at the table, perhaps on pillows and rugs, propping themselves up on one of their elbows while eating and drinking with the other hand; their feet extended out. But then the fragrance began to waft throughout the room, as Mary opened the perfume and began pouring it over Jesus’ feet, even wiping His feet with her hair.There are so many problems with this scene: First, attending to the feet of guests in a home was the work of servants, not hosts. Mary’s posture automatically reveals humility and devotion to Jesus. Second, her gift was extravagant. A pound is a very large amount of fragrant oil or perfume. Pure and expensive nard was imported from northern India and used by the Romans for anointing the head. We later learn from Judas that it was worth at least three hundred denarii, which would be the equivalent of about a year’s wages. Other gospel writers, Matthew and Mark, indicate that the perfume was kept in an alabaster jar. It is recorded here that Mary anointed the feet of Jesus, while the Synoptics mention that she anointed Jesus’ head. Considering the large quantity of ointment, Mary apparently moved from Jesus’ feet to His head. Lastly, Mary’s wiping of Jesus’ feet with her hair is also remarkable, since Jewish women rarely unbound their hair in public. While she was in the privacy of her own home, there were many men in attendance that day. Mary would not have walked about the dinner party with her head uncovered.Lazarus’ guests were on sensory overload in that moment. The scent of the perfume was overpowering, the sight of Mary so lavishly and intimately caring for, even worshiping Jesus was uncomfortable to watch. Everyone was stunned and silent, taking it all in. And then Judas Iscariot asked, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” (v 5) Judas’ motivation was anything but pure. Even before he betrayed Jesus, he had already been a thief. In fact, Judas, who was in charge of ministry finances, would regularly skim money off the top and pocket it for himself.Jesus responds quickly and shuts down any further comments on Mary’s display of love, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” (vv 7-8) Jesus is in no way discouraging helping the poor, but highlighting that time is of the essence. There is little time left when they will all be together in this way. Mary’s lavish, even ridiculous gift was a perfect foreshadowing of what was to come.The Bethany Problem continued as people heard that Jesus was eating with Lazarus, who was dead but now was alive and came to see Lazarus for themselves. Perhaps they smelled the perfume all the way down the street! When the chief priests heard this, they made plans to put Lazarus to death, demonstrating an astounding refusal to allow their beliefs to be changed by undeniable facts. They would rather destroy the evidence than change their minds. How many would have to die to keep this story of Jesus’ resurrection power under wraps? Only one more would die and be raised to life and the true problem - the sin problem - would be solved once and for all.“For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” (2 Peter 1:3, Amplified Bible)Big Picture Questions for Today:* The Creator’s providence, Reformer John Calvin says, will ensure that events turn out exactly as He has planned. Assuming that is true, can we agree that our greatest problem - our sin problem - has already been solved in Jesus’ sacrificial death on our behalf, according to God’s sovereign plan?* Do you tend to advise God, similar to Judas, as to appropriate solutions to the problems in your life, your family, this country, the world?Pray for faith to trust that God in His sovereignty has solved for every need, every problem we have in and through His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 26After 400 years in Egypt, followed by decades in the wilderness, Israel is readying to come into the Promised Land. It will be many years more before they are able to enter, but In Numbers 22, we read of the Israelites traveling through the plains of Moab to camp along the Jordan River, east of Canaan, at the northern end of the Dead Sea. Here they prepare to cross the Jordan and enter Canaan proper, but not before a lengthy encampment. While there, Israel runs into a couple pagan nations and kings and defeats them thoroughly, sending shock waves of fear throughout the region, as Israel’s reputation, and more importantly, Israel’s God’s reputation, spreads. Though Israel has not attacked Moab, but skirted their territory, the Moabite king Balak is so scared by their defeat of Sihon and Og that he summons a man with an international reputation for blessing and cursing to defeat Israel by cursing them, the prophet Balaam.Or is he a prophet? Because Balaam is said to speak God’s word and sounds pious, it is natural to conclude that he is a saint. But more likely Balaam’s greed, hoping to obtain as much as he could for his cursing services, confirms that he was a corrupt seer, willing to prophesy the will of the highest bidder. The problem for Balak and Balaam is that God is sovereign over His plan for His people and that plan will not be thwarted!As Balaam rides his donkey toward King Balak’s summons, in direct disobedience to the LORD God’s commands, God’s angel stands in Balaam’s way with a drawn sword, but only Balaam’s donkey can see the angel. The donkey resists moving forward due to the angel’s presence, and Balaam beats his donkey three times for refusing to go forward. Then comes the amazing moment: “the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she asked Balaam, ‘What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?’” (Num 22:28)Rather than being shocked and alarmed that his donkey is speaking, Balaam argues with his donkey! Finally, God opens Balaam’s eyes to see what the donkey saw: the angel of God standing in the road with his sword drawn. Balaam finally realizes his donkey has saved his life. The angel then sends Balaam on his way with a stern warning to speak only what God tells him to speak. Unfortunately, Balaam continues in his greedy ways yet every time he tries to speak a curse over the Israelites, a blessing comes out of his mouth instead! Divine irony!In his warnings to the early church, the Apostle Peter accuses false teachers as having “gone astray by abandoning the straight path and have followed the path of Balaam, son of Bosor, who loved the wages of wickedness but received a rebuke for his lawlessness: A speechless donkey spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.” (2 Pet 2:15)Today we read of another example of divine irony, from the mouth of the Jewish high priest, Caiaphus. He has no idea how true his words are!Read John 11:45-57Many of the Jews who saw and/or heard about Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead believed, but others went straight to the Pharisees and stirred up trouble. A meeting of the high court, known as the Sanhedrin, made up of 70 priests, elders and scribes, along with high priest, Caiaphas, presiding was called. Amidst the chaotic conversations amongst the Jewish leaders they ask, “What are we going to do since this man is doing many signs?” (v 47) Indeed he has performed multiple signs, seven in fact: He first turned water into wine at the wedding in Cana. (2:11) Second, He restored the terribly sick son of a Roman official to complete health. (4:53) Jesus’ third sign was healing the paralytic man by the Pool of Bethesda (6:2) followed by His fourth sign - multiplying five loaves and two fish to feed thousands. (6:14) Jesus’ fifth sign was walking on the water to His disciples on the Sea of Galilee (6:19) then sixth, giving sight to a man blind since birth. (9:16) But just recently the most impressive and important sign of all, when Jesus raised a dead man who had been in the grave four days to life! (11:44)Yes, he has done many signs. But instead of asking, like many common people are, “Could this be the long-promised Christ?” the leaders as a whole are tragically more concerned with preserving their own place and privilege. They are more oriented on political concerns with the unbelieving Romans than with spiritual concerns in their Scriptures. “If we let [Jesus] go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” (v 48) Even after receiving testimony and evidence supporting the miracle of Lazarus restored to life, high priest Caiaphas refused to believe Jesus was the Messiah and was more firmly resolved than ever to have Him put to death. He used the excuse that Jesus might cause the Romans to destroy the Jews’ religious system. So he said, “You’re not considering that it is to your advantage that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish.” (v 50) Wow! There is no truer statement.Like Balaam, forced to prophesy what he did not intend, Caiaphas was made to predict the true significance of Christ’s coming death. Instead of His death being “to your advantage”—for the Sandhedrin, Caiaphas and their religious power system—it was indeed “advantageous that one man should die for the people.”What remarkable divine irony! Caiaphas, the chief religious representative of God to the people of Israel, should have known the Old Testament prophecies and gladly welcomed Jesus as the promised Messiah. Instead, he organized His trial and condemnation. Yet he was divinely inspired (without knowing or intending it) to point out the real mission of Jesus, the Messiah, to the Jews and the whole world - that of substitutionary sacrifice, atonement for their sins.So far as we know, Caiaphas died still rejecting Christ. Nevertheless, following Christ’s substitutionary death, the evidence for His glorious resurrection, which was eternal, by the way, not temporary like that of Lazarus, became so clear and compelling that “a great group of priests became obedient to the faith.” (Acts 6:7) Caiaphas did, indeed, manage to get Jesus crucified, but the result was salvation for multitudes.There are in fact two visions of the coming death of Jesus: Caiaphas’ and God’s. Caiaphas perceives the situation, considers his own interest, and issues his counsel, which carries the day. But God is not caught off guard. He doesn’t rush in to fix things and turn them for good. No, before Caiaphas willed it, God willed it. Before Caiaphas said it, God planned it. God superintends these evil words from Caiaphas’ evil heart, for God’s good purposes and the salvation of his people from sin and death.And strange as this sounds in our ears, this is not new in the Bible. It should sound familiar for any who are familiar with the story of Joseph and his brothers at the end of Genesis. Joseph says to his brothers who, mind you, sold him into slavery 20 years prior, “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result - the survival of many people.” (Gen 50:20) Joseph doesn’t say God used it or that God turned it. Sinners planned evil; God planned it (the same evil) for good. Same evil, two intentions. Divine Irony.Big Picture Questions for Today:* Was Caiaphas a prophet or a villain? Did he have a choice in what was coming out of his mouth?* How do you feel as you think about God intending all things - even our sin - to achieve His purposes?Pray for eyes to see God’s Sovereignty at work all around you today. Maybe even some divine irony… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 25“Where’s Lucky?” my dad asked. Lucky was our darling black lab mix and everyone in the family loved him, but he was most definitely Daddy’s dog. Once Lucky found and killed a field mouse and left it on the sidewalk out back. My dad praised that dog incessantly for protecting our family from those dangerous vermin. After that, we regularly found dead field mice on the back porch steps! No one had seen Lucky in a while, and couldn’t even remember when we saw him last. However it was Saturday evening and there was always so much to do to prepare for Sunday mornings - Saturdays were when Mama shampooed my hair and rolled it in tight rollers while we watched Hee Haw on the television.Daddy looked concerned, walked out to his truck and backed out of the driveway and up the street. Construction of Interstate 75 had recently been completed and vehicles were finally, after two years of constant work, driving on the 8 new lanes from Chattanooga through Atlanta. I-75 passed right by the end of our street. The first year, road workers had to use dynamite to prepare the site and would regularly walk down our street, knocking on doors to make sure that all children and pets were inside and safe. Since there were no longer dynamite blasts to worry about, the neighborhood kids, and our pets, roamed free once again.When Daddy returned, he was crying hard. I’d never seen my father cry before that evening. My brother and I ran to the door to see what the matter could be, shocked by our dad’s emotional response. He wouldn’t let us get past him, but we could see a big gray bin and the tip of Lucky’s head poking out. Lucky was dead, hit by a car or truck on the new interstate highway. But the biggest and saddest shock was seeing my father grieve for that sweet dog.Today’s reading jumps over the part of Lazarus’ story when Jesus interacts with Martha and reveals that “He is the resurrection and the life.” (v 26) We’ll dig into that on Sunday’s Feast Day when we focus on the I AM statements of Jesus. For today, I want us to pay attention to the emotions that the sisters and then Jesus displayed as they lamented Lazarus’ death.Read John 11:28-44The raising of Lazarus is Jesus’ 7th sign. It constitutes the final and ultimate messianic “sign” of Jesus in this Gospel. Interestingly, this spectacular miracle is only recorded by John and anticipates Jesus’ own resurrection, revealing Jesus as “the resurrection and the life.” (v 25) The raising of Lazarus also serves as the final event that triggers the Jewish leaders’ resolve to have Jesus arrested and tried for blasphemy.Jesus Weeps From His Great LoveWhen they hear that Jesus is outside of town, Martha jumps up and runs to him. Still holding out hope, she states faithfully, “Even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” (v 22) She’s grieving, and she has hope. And so Jesus meets her in her hope.Mary, on the other hand, stays at home. Perhaps we detect some anger at Jesus on Mary’s part. She can’t even face him. “Why weren’t you here when we needed you? Why didn’t you come? Why didn’t you heal him from a distance?” But, notice also that, when he calls her, she comes immediately. And she comes as she is. She comes weeping and worshiping. She wails and she falls on her face before Jesus and pours out the thought that has been coursing through her mind, “Lord, If you had been here, my brother would not have died!” (v 32) And so Jesus meets her in her sorrow.He asks where the tomb is and on the way begins to cry. By the time He gets to the tomb that is closed by a large cut stone, Jesus is weeping. The crowds notice immediately and begin to whisper to one another, “See how he loved him!” (v 36) In this vignette of Jesus weeping openly before the tomb of his dear friend, we see the amazingly complex and righteous emotional life of our Lord. On the one hand, he plainly tells the disciples earlier, “Lazarus has died. I’m glad for you that I wasn’t there so that you may believe.” (vv 14-15) He’s glad that he waited. And then, when he gets there, he weeps. More than that, he is deeply moved, literally, he’s indignant. He’s angry. He is troubled; literally, he stirs himself up. Jesus is indignant at sin and death and the way that it ravages those he loves.Jesus then asks for the stone to be rolled away, even amidst Martha’s reasonable concerns about the shameful smell that would be sure to waft forth from Lazarus’ decaying body. We then get to listen in on a conversation Jesus has with His Father God: “Then Jesus raised his eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you heard me. I know that you always hear me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so that they may believe you sent me.’ After he said this, he shouted with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unwrap him and let him go.’” (vv 41-44)The writer of Hebrews sums up the breadth of Jesus’ emotions and the purpose for His sufferings this way:“During his earthly life, he offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” Hebrews 5:7-9The Source of eternal salvation for all who obey him! Jesus loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus. And he loves you. And because he loves you, he may wait to deliver you from your current pain. He may take you through unimaginable suffering and loss. And when he does, because he loves you, he will draw so very close. He will receive your questions, confusion, tears and cries of, “Where were you?”And someday, because He loves us, He will raise the dead. He will wipe away every tear. He will right every wrong, heal every hurt, comfort every sorrow. Whether we are like Martha who ran to him in her grief and confessed “I believe you are the Christ” or like Mary who delayed, but came when called, falling on her feet and worshiping through tears. Or whether today we are like Lazarus, dead in our sins, without hope and without God in the world. The Darling of Heaven, Jesus is standing at our tomb, calling our name and shouting, “Come forth.”Big Picture Questions for Today:* Why did Jesus wait to heal Lazarus? Is there any significance of the four days He waited?* How did Martha show great faith when she first saw Jesus?Pray and thank Jesus for calling your name while you were dead in your sins, without hope and without God in this world.Finally, listen to Glorious Day, written and performed by Kristian Stanfill and Passion, paying close attention to the chorus lyrics:“You called my nameThen I ran out of that graveOut of the darknessInto Your glorious day”Passion - Glorious Day (Lyric Video) ft. Kristian Stanfill This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 24When was the last time you heard news about a dear friend in need? Regardless of the cause, whether an unexpected diagnosis, difficult divorce, crippling accident, financial hit, or devastating loss, I imagine you had a similar internal response as I often do, “I wish there was something I could do.” Perhaps that’s where your thoughts of care stalled out. All too often, we let our discomfort with knowing exactly what to say when tragedy strikes stand in the way of offering love, sympathy, or help. We feel overwhelmed, or insufficient for the task, and so we make excuses. Do any of these sound familiar? “I didn’t want to say the wrong thing, so I didn’t say anything at all.” or “I wish I knew how to help.” or even “I didn’t want to bring it up and upset them.”Notice the focus of these statements - “I didn’t want…I wish I knew…” - are primarily centered on the person making the comment, the “I”, rather than on the person for whom care is intended. When our thoughts are on our own struggles or discomforts in addressing the issue, we neglect the goal of providing comfort or help for the person who is actually in need.Our reading today highlights the first half of an important event in Jesus’ ministry, when his buddy Lazarus is terminally ill. His sisters have sent word to Jesus, to come quickly because Lazarus doesn’t have much time left, but Jesus does the exact opposite. Does He not love these dear family friends? Is He thinking only of Himself? Of course not, but I imagine it looks that way to everyone around Him.Read John 11:1-16Jesus’ dear friends, Lazarus, Mary and Martha, lived in Bethany, about 2 miles from Jerusalem. Meaning “House of Figs,” Bethany symbolized hospitality and friendship. It was also on the way to Jerusalem from Galilee, which meant that Jesus had grown up traveling through the village and regularly visiting with his friends. I imagine Jesus growing up with Lazarus and the sisters, their families being close, always looking forward to the next Jewish festival that would bring Jesus through town. It is against that backdrop that the sisters send Jesus an urgent message, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” (v 3)His disciples look at Jesus, and fully expect that they are turning around to head back towards Jerusalem, and preparing their arguments for why that would be a death wish - surely Jesus knows that the Jews are scheming to kill HIm? But Jesus looks nonplussed upon receiving the news and says, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (v 4) Lazarus’s illness would not lead ultimately to death, but it would lead through death to being raised from the dead a few days later.Why would Jesus stay where He was two days longer? John writes that Jesus loved Martha, her sister and Lazarus. When then would He not rush to Lazarus’ side, or at least heal him from afar? Jesus would orchestrate circumstances to require his friends to go through the sorrow and hardship of the death and mourning of Lazarus. Why? Because he loved them. I can imagine as the hours turned into days, Mary and Martha didn’t feel loved by their friend. They felt overlooked, unseen, unloved. But Jesus had more in store for them than a simple healing. He wanted them to witness the most amazing demonstration of Jesus’ power thus far - His power over death, thus displaying “his glory, glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” from John’s introduction in 1:14. The Lord does not always answer prayers as expected, but He always answers.Jesus’ phrase “our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep…” (v 11) seems to confuse His disciples. Often in the Old Testament terms like “fallen asleep” or “lie down in rest” were euphemisms meaning “dead.” However, John uses the present perfect participle tense “has fallen asleep” signaling a completed act with continuing action. This tense construction was generally used to describe ongoing illness recovery. The disciples thought that Lazarus’ fever must have broken and he was on the road to recovery. Why then, would Jesus want to go back to Bethany and wake him up? Especially if Jesus’ safety and their own by their proximity to Him, was in danger? If Lazarus would recover naturally from his illness, this dangerous journey seemed an unnecessary risk.Their confusion confirms that before the resurrection, even Jesus’ inner-circle disciples did not yet grasp His full authority over death. Honestly, why would they? And yet, their confusion with the Lazarus situation anticipates the clarity they will gain post-Resurrection Sunday. For now, the disciples reluctantly, and perhaps with some gallows humor when Thomas blurts out, “Let’s go too so that we may die with him.” (v 16) go with Jesus, but not at all excited about what they might encounter in Bethany.Big Picture Questions for Today:* How do you care for those dear friends who are struggling? Is your instinct to get busy organizing a meal train or distance yourself, for fear of getting it all wrong and hurting your friend instead of helping?* Which of the following questions would be best to ask a dear friend: “I know exactly how you feel. When my dog died, it was like I lost a member of my family.” or “I cannot imagine the trauma you must be feeling at the loss of your little brother.”* When someone is experiencing suffering, is your first thought, “Why doesn’t God love and see this person?” If so, consider the early disciples of Jesus and their confusion over His authority as sovereign king over the universe. God is aware of your friend’s pain and has a plan through it. How can you be a part of God’s presence, provision for your friend?Pray this liturgical prayer compiled from several prayer books:O Creator, who knows the frailties of our bodies and the sorrows of our hearts, I bring my dear friend before You. In this season of illness, when strength is low and the path forward feels uncertain,I ask for Your gentle, healing presence.Lord, for the broken places in their body, I ask for restoration. For the anxieties in their mind, I ask for the peace that passes understanding. Comfort them in their suffering, let them feel supported by love,and provide wisdom to those providing care.Even in the waiting and the unknown, may this friend know they are not alone. Wrap them in Your love, and let this time be a witness to Your sustaining grace. Grant them comfort and, if it be Your will, a full return to health.Amen. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 23“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” (or so the playground adage wants us to believe). While this proverb may have initially been shared to build resiliency in children and adults, the fact is that words do hurt and the shame that those words can instill in us have a way of lingering in our minds and our bodies long after. Anyone with access to social media has witnessed a phenomenon known as Keyboard Courage, displayed when people react to a post, article, or video more aggressively, negatively or boldly than they would ever have the courage to in person. Often hiding behind anonymity, their posts of harsh criticisms, insults and in extreme cases, public platform shaming from the protection of their own home and laptop, remove them from experiencing the immediate consequences of their words.ORI”m afraid that the term Keyboard Courage encourages folks to hide behind their keyboard spewing hatred, bigotry and judgmental insults. They feel proud of their courageous response and act as if their behavior does not have consequences. But words always have consequences. I’ve heard it said that it isn’t actually Keyboard Courage, but Keyboard Cowardice. When someone hides behind their keyboard because they are too afraid to personally confront the person or issue, that is called cowardice, the exact opposite of courage.In today’s reading from the gospel of John, we look in on the scene following Jesus’ healing of the man blind since birth. Having just said that He is the Good Shepherd, His sheep hear His voice and follow Him, and even worse - His Father has given these sheep to Him - He proclaims, “I and the Father are one.” (10:30) That’s it! The talking is over! The Jews begin picking up rocks to stone Jesus. If we can’t force Him to submit by our verbal accusations, we’ll justify our angry and violent response by stoning Him. After all, claiming to be God is a crime worthy of death! So they brought out all of their weapons - words, sticks and stones!Read John 10:31-42The people’s angry, unleashed reaction to Jesus wasn’t about the works He was doing, at least that was their claim; it was for blasphemy - Jesus posing as God - that they were preparing to stone Him. Jesus doesn’t appear to be afraid in the least, even as they begin to encircle Him, stones in their hands, their faces contorted in rage. He simply continues to remind them of the truth by quoting Psalm 82, where God is calling “those whom the word of God came to, ‘gods.’” (v 35)I wasn’t as familiar with this Psalm of Asaph and God’s use of the term “gods” when naming those undershepherds of His flock, but learned so much as I studied this plea for righteous judgement. It’s so important to understanding Jesus’ logical defense that I want to share it in full here:A Plea for Righteous JudgmentPsalm 82, A psalm of Asaph.God stands in the divine assembly;he pronounces judgment among the gods:“How long will you judge unjustlyand show partiality to the wicked?SelahProvide justice for the needy and the fatherless;uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.Rescue the poor and needy;save them from the power of the wicked.They do not know or understand;they wander in darkness.All the foundations of the earth are shaken.I said, “You are gods;you are all sons of the Most High.However, you will die like humansand fall like any other ruler.Rise up, God, judge the earth,for all the nations belong to you.The first section of Psalm 82 highlights the job description of human rulers, “the gods,” especially those who rule God’s covenant people: they are to “provide justice to the needy and the fatherless; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. Rescue the poor and the needy; save them from the power of the wicked.” (vv 3–4) Far too often, however, they showed partiality to the wicked rather than protection from them.Jesus’ logic is clear: God has set human leaders to care for His people as mini-representatives of Himself. He expects them to provide justice for the oppressed and marginalized. Jesus is claiming that He is the Son of God, but don’t take His word for it. Look at His works. What is He doing but rescuing the poor and needy? If they couldn’t believe that Jesus is who He said He is, at least believe in the works. Eventually, they would come to know and understand that “the Father is in me and I in the Father.” (v 38)Again, this was too much for the Jewish leaders and those desperate for their approval. While they tried to seize Jesus to stone Him, He slipped away yet again and headed across the Jordan where many of John’s previous disciples were putting it all together. They were coming to know and understand that Jesus truly was the Son of God, “and many believed in him there.” (v 42)Big Picture Questions for Today:* How have you been impacted by Keyboard Courage or Cowardice? How has it made you feel, to witness or be the target of someone’s violent aggression through their words on social media?* Psalm 82 exhorts those who hold social and political power to use that power in service to others, especially to protect those who are easiest to exploit. What positions of power do you hold? We all have positions of power and influence, even if it is simply within our own family. How are you following Jesus’ lead and example, protecting the weak and marginalized?Pray for God to give you eyes to see the hurting around you and how you might lovingly and in person defend them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

I AM - The Good ShepherdYahoo! It is Sunday again and our fourth Feast Day!! On this Lord’s Day, enjoy worshiping with your church family, through songs and hymns, through the reading and teaching of God’s Word, through giving cheerfully, and enjoying the blessed gift of food, chocolate, social media, or anything you may have set aside for your Lenten promise.The Seven I AM’sEach Sunday of #LentenDaily 2026 we will focus on a specific I AM statement made by Jesus to His followers. Jesus’ I AM statements would have particular significance to the first-century Jewish listener. Just as God had revealed Himself to Moses as the “I AM” when calling him to return to Egypt and lead His people out of slavery, Jesus used the same words to describe Himself throughout His ministry, as recorded by John. More specifically, “I AM WHO I AM” (Hebrew: Ehyeh asher ehyeh) is a profound declaration from Exodus 3:14, where God reveals His name to Moses as the self-existent, eternal, and faithful Deliverer. Signifying that God is not dependent on anything else for existence and is present with His people, this name represents an immutable, self-sufficient, and ever-present being. When “God replied to Moses, “‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.’” (Ex 3:14), He was revealing Himself as the eternal, invincible, covenant-keeping God that He was, is and always will be.Today we will take a look at the fourth of Jesus’ I AM claims, I AM the Good Shepherd.Read John 10:11-30A few years ago our youngest daughter adopted a pitbull mix named Papi. It was a bit of a complicated journey, her taking this highly reactive dog into her heart and home. Papi was unpredictable, one second seemingly happy and content, the next ready to take another dog down. After a violent episode with another dog left Rebecca with puncture wounds, Dale and I felt that he was too much of a risk and wanted her to have Papi put down. But his owner, his advocate, his girl declared boldly, “I would literally give my life for Papi!” While she hasn’t been required to give up her life, Papi’s care has required a life of sacrifice that few others would be willing to offer.When Jesus declared “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep,” (v 11) He was owning the role of caring, sacrificial leader, the nurturer who knows his followers intimately, protects them from danger, and lays down his life for their salvation. His sacrificial love cannot be compared with a “hired hand” (v 12) who abandons the sheep, emphasizing that Jesus is the ultimate, personal provider for His flock.The Good Shepherd knows His own sheep by name, and they recognize his voice. This is an important, repeated ability - to hear and recognize Jesus’ voice and speaks to an intimate, relational, and active, rather than distant, relationship. He even mentions having other sheep not of the current fold, who will also “listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd” (v 16) indicating his mission to bring all believers into one unified flock under his care.Psalm 23The Good ShepherdA psalm of David.“The Lord is my shepherd;I have what I need.He lets me lie down in green pastures;he leads me beside quiet waters.He renews my life;he leads me along the right pathsfor his name’s sake.Even when I go through the darkest valley,I fear no danger,for you are with me;your rod and your staff—they comfort me.You prepare a table before mein the presence of my enemies;you anoint my head with oil;my cup overflows.Only goodness and faithful love will pursue meall the days of my life,and I will dwell in the house of the Lordas long as I live.”As you enjoy the remainder of your Fourth Feast Day this Sunday, please also enjoy this A cappella version of Isaac Watts’ 1719 rendition of Psalm 23, “My Shepherd Will Supply My Need.”My Shepherd Will Supply My Need - A cappella - Eclipse 6 - Official Video - on iTunesMy Shepherd Will Supply My Need, by Isaac Watts, 17191 My Shepherd, you supply my need,most holy is your name;in pastures fresh you make me feed,beside the living stream.You bring my wand’ring spirit backwhen I forsake your ways;you lead me, for your mercy’s sake,in paths of truth and grace.2 When through the shades of death I walk,your presence is my stay;one word of your supporting breathdrives all my fears away.Your hand in sight of all my foes,does still my table spread;my cup with Blessings overflows,your oil anoints my head.3 Your sure provisions gracious Godattend me all my days;oh, may your house be my abode,and all my work be praise.Here would I find a settled rest,while others go and come;no more a stranger, nor a guest,but like a child at home.Evangelical Lutheran Worship, 2006 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 22In 2003, then 2-year-old Brandon Connor was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, one of the deadliest forms of childhood cancer, with a tumor growing near his spine. The tumor was supposed to be removed in a dangerous surgery that risked paralysis. However, according to an Associated Press report by Alicia Chang, on the eve of the surgery a scan showed the tumor had essentially vanished, replaced only by fatty tissue, leaving doctors without a medical explanation for the sudden disappearance. You can feel the shock, the awe, the inexpressible gratitude and almost hear the doctor declare, “All I know is that it was there and now it’s gone.”We’ve all heard of these bizarre happenings. Perhaps we’ve even experienced or witnessed one ourselves; these documented cases of unexplainable healing that often leave medical professionals stunned, challenging the known limits of human biology and modern medicine. Sometimes referred to as spontaneous remission or medical miracles, they occur in patients who were terminal, severely injured, or diagnosed with incurable conditions. What explanation is there? Only that what was once incurable is no longer.In today’s reading we see a trend developing. Beginning in chapter 5, where He healed the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, Jesus is accomplishing unexplainable healings after years of disability. In addition, He is also giving victory over sin and hope for eternal life, but there is a problem with Jesus’ timing. He is giving sight to the blind and rescuing folks on the Sabbath, with no regard for the extra rules regarding this most holy day of the week. As with so many of Jesus’ teachings, He uses the physical and material to communicate spiritual truth. When should that truth be best expressed but on the Sabbath? The Sabbath, when God’s people are not frenetically rushing about, working to provide food and shelter for their families, but instead have time and space to be more thoughtful and engage with the things of God? According to the experts, absolutely not!Read John 9:13-41Jesus continues to do God’s work of healing and restoration on the Sabbath and the religious leaders are feeling threatened and out of control. How dare Jesus of Nazareth come into their space and begin to change the rules. He continues to slip through their grasp, so they decide to pursue a different angle. Jesus may be getting away with going rogue in the streets with the common people, but He doesn’t have authority in the synagogue. They decide who stays in good standing, NOT JESUS! So they round up the once blind man and basically put him on trial. They begin their interrogations by demanding, “Explain to us how you can see?” (from v 15) For the first time in this man’s life, he is seen and addressed by men of importance. For the first time in his life, he is able to look those men straight in the eye and answer, “He put mud on my eyes. I washed and I can see.” (v 15)So who is on trial here and what is the crime? Jesus is the one who has committed the egregious sin of once again, healing someone on the Sabbath, who claimed to be “the light of the world.” (Jn 9:5) and was thereby declaring His direct connection with God. The sighted man simply shared his personal testimony of being healed. He didn’t challenge the Pharisees’ authority. But he recognizes his miraculous healing as a demonstration of Jesus Christ’s spiritual authority and that’s where he crossed a serious line. The sighted man was on trial for telling the truth about Jesus.The group of Pharisees that thought Jesus was not from God believed he violated the Sabbath by healing on it. Because in order for someone to truly be from God they needed to obey God’s commands! But the problem was the Pharisees believed that you had to follow all of their rules in order to keep the Sabbath. You had to keep the Sabbath the way they wanted you to in order to be obedient to God. The Pharisees were notorious for adding to what it meant to keep the Sabbath.It’s like if someone had a personal rule that when the gas gauge in their car dipped below ½ full, they automatically pulled into a gas station and filled it back up, so as not to risk running out of gas. Because this practice guaranteed that they would never run out of gas, they began to rigidly enforce that rule upon their friends and family and eventually in their minds, that rule was so important, so significant that, if you let your gas tank get to even ¼ full, according to them and their made up rules, you just broke the law.That’s similar to what was going on with the Pharisees. They had all these additional rules that were set up to help people avoid breaking the Sabbath. But at some point, their rules were synonymous with Sabbath keeping. Their made up laws were anything but helpful. They were burdensome. Their rules were so out of control that they actually believed healing someone was a violation of the Sabbath.“Again they asked the blind man, ‘What do you say about him, since he opened your eyes?’ ‘He’s a prophet,’ he said.” (v 17) Wrong answer! The Pharisees conclude that despite the sighted man’s testimony, someone is lying; there is no way he was born blind, so they call his parents in to be questioned next. They know the answers to the interrogators’ questions. They offer some answers to the easy questions, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind.” (v 20) But the question of how he now sees? They pass the buck off to their now sighted son. Talk to him. He knows. They’re not willing to say what they certainly know.They basically plead the fifth. We’ve all seen those moments whether in a U.S. courtroom or perhaps in a congressional hearing, a witness invokes their fifth amendment right. Which means they simply refuse to answer any questions. How does that normally fair for the person invoking their fifth amendment right? Do we all assume they have no idea and don’t know any additional information? No, normally when it seems that someone is refusing to answer a question we all automatically assume that they’re hiding something! Or they know if they explain everything they’re culpable and something bad will happen to them if they tell the truth!That’s what’s really going on with the healed man’s parents. They’re just refusing to answer the questions and then we read why, “His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed his as Messiah, he would be banned from the synagogue.” (v 22) This healed man’s parents were so afraid of disrupting the status quo, so intimidated by the Jews and Pharisees’ threat of excommunication, they refused to speak up on their son’s behalf.It seems that their interrogation of the parents produced the desired result. The Pharisees were succeeding in dividing a family. They bring the sighted man back, intending to intimidate him into silence like they did with his parents, or at the very least want him to admit that Jesus is a sinner. But notice how he responds, “Whether or not he’s a sinner, I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!” (v 25) Basically he admits that he doesn’t know much, but this one thing he is sure of - he was blind but now he sees!Because the sighted man refused to tell the authorities what they wanted to hear, they threw him out, or excommunicated him from the synagogue. Again, this was their courtroom, their rules, their decision stands. These toxic beliefs in Jesus would not be allowed to permeate their house of worship.When Jesus heard of the sighted man’s banishment from Jewish community, He found him and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” (v 35) Jesus’ greater sign of His divinity was to open the spiritual eyes of people who had faith to believe. The man who had received sight to his blind eyes was ready to receive a spiritual healing as well. The eyes of his heart which had been just as blind as the eyes on his face were opened that day and will be for all eternity!“The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake. For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corin 4:4-6)Big Picture Questions for Today:* Are you willing to testify of Jesus Christ’s work in your life even in the face of adversity? Of potential loss of favor and acceptance of those in positions of power?* Are you, like the sighted man’s parents, more committed to the status quo than to the truth?* It happens in every sphere doesn’t it? It’s true in many personal, church and work settings. So many refuse to speak out because they are intimidated by the thought of what might happen if they tell the truth.Pray along with the Apostle Paul from his letter to the believers at Ephesus, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.” (Eph 1:17-19)And finally, enjoy this song, “Open the Eyes of My Heart,” written by Paul Baloche in 1977 and performed by Michael W. Smith.OPEN THE EYES OF MY HEART (Worship Forever 2021) - Michael W. Smith This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 21I had just lost a second baby to miscarriage. Genetic testing revealed that she was a girl. While I experienced a total of four miscarriages in addition to the four beautiful babies that have grown into amazing adult children, that second one was earth shattering for me. Up to that point in my life, I hadn’t truly experienced loss or significant suffering. My theology on God’s sovereignty was incomplete and I couldn’t accept that He would have purpose in my losing that precious baby girl. I sat in the rocking chair I had hoped to rock a baby in and bitterly declared, “The God I serve doesn’t do that.” I began the mental and emotional gymnastics of trying to make sense of it all, to find someone to blame and I was the prime suspect. It had to be punishment for my sin. I deserved this and God’s hands were tied.In today’s reading, we look in on a scene where people are coming and going, completely oblivious to the man born blind sitting in his usual spot. Then Jesus passes by. He sees the man, takes notice of him, and nothing is ever the same again!Read John 9:1-12“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (v 2) This question from Jesus’ disciples reflects an assumption, customary in ancient Judaism, that suffering could be traced to sin. The underlying concern was well-intentioned, aimed at not charging God with perpetrating evil on innocent people. For God was clear in the Torah that disobedience of the law - sin - would result in consequences.“Do not make an idol for yourself in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them, because I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commands.” (Deut 5:8-10)We can empathize with the Jews’ assumption, that somebody did something wrong resulting in this man’s blindness from birth. “The God I serve doesn’t do that!” Yet the rest of Scripture makes it clear that suffering is not always a direct result of a specific person’s sin, but rather to display God’s glory, as the Apostle Paul so vulnerably shares in one of his letters to the Corinthian church:“Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.’” 1 Cor 12:7-9God in his mysterious and wise providence sometimes allows His children to go through hardship and suffering so that they can experience God’s mercy and power in delivering them. In this man’s specific situation, blindness from birth is explained by Jesus saying that God intends to reveal a glimpse of His glory through his blindness. In this case, it happens to be healing, highlighting the glory of God’s power to heal. But there is nothing that requires or promises that it has to be healing. For when Paul cried out three times for his thorn in the flesh to be healed, Jesus replied differently, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” (2 Cor 12:9). In other words, “I will put my power on display, not by healing you, but by sustaining you.” Healing displays the works of God in John 9, and sustaining grace displays the works of God in 2 Corinthians 12.What is common in the two cases is the supremacy of the glory of God. The blindness is for the glory of God. The thorn in the flesh? Also purposed for the glory of God. The healing of the man blind from birth is for His glory, and the lack of healing, but instead sustaining power for Paul is again, for God’s glory. I’m immediately taken to the beginning of Psalm 115 which declares, “Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory because of your faithful love, because of your truth.” (Ps 115:1)While It Is DayJesus recognizes the importance of His limited time on earth and the good work He is here to do. Because He is “The Light of the World” (v 5) His presence makes everything “day.” Jesus communicates an intense awareness of the need to fulfill all that the Father sent Him to accomplish during His ministry on earth and involves His disciples in that work as well. Jesus must do this work quickly, because night is coming, and then His work will be over. There will be a ministerial shift from healing to dying. Jesus will turn from the work of relieving suffering in the light of His glory, His presence, to the night of suffering Himself, finally submitting fully to the plan He and His Father had made from the beginning - that the Son be consumed in death by the sin and suffering of the world.So why the mud? Even more important to me, why the spit? “He spit on the ground, made some mud from the saliva, and spread the mud on his eyes.” (v 6) I wasn’t able to find a clear explanation for why Jesus made mud and put it on the man’s eyes, but I wonder if this could be an echo of God’s creative process in Genesis, “Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.” (Gen 2:7) Could it be that we get a glimpse into the Creator of all things now re-creating, demonstrating how He will make all things new? How beautiful is that?The man’s neighbors had become quite used to his presence. Honestly, they didn’t even see him anymore. His blind eyes were uncomfortable to look at; his affliction since birth difficult to make sense of. When he returned from washing at the Pool of Siloam and could see, they were perplexed. He looked like the blind man who had always sat right there, but it couldn’t be him, right? His blind eyes had received sight. While he looked familiar, everything about him was different. There was light in his eyes for the first time! What a magnificent expression of God’s glory displayed in his body! “Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body.” (2 Corin 4:7-10)Big Picture Questions for Today:* What about you? Do you consider physical ailments, loss and suffering as punishment for sin? When hard things happen to you or those you love, do you struggle with how the God you serve could allow that suffering and call it necessary and good?* How do you reconcile suffering, chronic pain, and disease with God’s sovereignty? Seriously big questions today…these might take awhile to process and answer.“Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corin 4:16-18)Pray that God would give you eyes to see the display of his works, the glorious gospel of Christ, in his Son’s suffering, in your suffering and the suffering of all around you as expressions of his love and glory. “Father God, show us your glory in all of it. And if not now, give us faith and courage to wait until that day when we see you and Jesus face to face, your glory and purposes fully revealed.”Finally, please enjoy this sweet song by Matt Redmond, “One Day,” including the chorus from the old hymn, “When We All Get to Heaven.” Fair warning, this is a tear-jerker, but please listen to the end to the beautiful reminder of when there will be no more tears.We will weep no moreNo more tears, no more shameNo more struggle, no moreWalking through the valley of the shadowNo cancer, no depressionJust the brightness of Your gloryJust the wonder of Your graceEverything as it was meant to beAll of this will changeWhen we see You face to faceJesus, face to faceMatt Redman - One Day (When We All Get To Heaven) (Acoustic) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 20I wouldn’t say that I’m a big accessories girl. Now don’t get me wrong. I do love a new pair of shoes or fun, new earrings, but honestly, I am so hard on them. I regularly wear shoes out or lose one earring in a pair, leaving me with a jewelry box full of one earring from several sets. There is a handbag company, PomPom London, that I really love and have several of their crossover bags in several colors. Each bag comes with a couple of fun straps that you can change out depending on the outfit or season.In today’s reading we see that there are some who believe in Jesus…or do they? Impressed with His knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures, they liked how Jesus looked on them, much like a new accessory, a fun bag to collect and place their new beliefs in. He spoke of truth and freedom and family. All things they desired, albeit not how Jesus offered them. He refused to be an accessory, an add-on to their incomplete, incorrect theology.Read John 8:30-59While happy that many were believing in Him, Jesus needed to help these “believers” understand more fully what discipleship truly meant. His followers were to abide in His word, to continue believing what Jesus said and walking in obedience to Him. Then, and only then, would they know the truth and be set free. Slightly offended, they answered Him, “We are descendants of Abraham and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free?’” (v 33) Hold on! What are they talking about? They’ve definitely been enslaved as a people group over the course of their history - in Egypt, in Assyria, in Babylon. And ironically even now, as they argued for their physical freedom, they were under Roman rule.Of course Jesus is addressing their misconception that being a physical descendant of Abraham and his covenant people automatically equals spiritual freedom. He refutes this bad theology by focusing on freedom from slavery to sin, from the guilt and enslaving power of sinful patterns of conduct. The only lasting path to freedom was through Jesus, “So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.” (v 36)Before Abraham Was, I AMTensions continue to rise throughout Jesus’ dialogue with the Jews. They become increasingly frustrated as Jesus accuses them of not really believing Him, of not being the children of Abraham or God, and of actually being the children of the devil! But in their minds, Jesus didn’t cross the line entirely until He made the outlandish claim: “Truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” (v 58)Returning to the discussion of Abraham, Jesus acknowledged that the patriarch was their father physically, but not spiritually, saying, “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad” (v 56), again pointing out the spiritual difference between Abraham and his descendants. Unlike Abraham, who truly rejoiced at seeing Christ, these Jews had only a superficial trust in Jesus, thereby proving that they were not really the patriarch’s children.But what does it mean that Abraham saw Jesus’ day? Jesus may have been alluding to the common rabbinic belief that God had revealed the secrets of the messianic age to Abraham, in which case He would have been making a claim to being the Messiah if His day is what Abraham saw. The writer of Hebrews includes this same faith logic in his Hall of Faith, found in Hebrews 11:“These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” (Heb 11:13-16)Still, Jesus revealed far more than His messianic role when He said Abraham saw His day. When the Jews responded with doubt and disbelief, asking how He, a man younger than fifty, saw Abraham, who lived millennia earlier, Jesus made an even bolder claim: “Before Abraham was, I am.” (v 58) Jesus was not simply saying that He existed before Abraham, or He would have said, “Before Abraham was, I was.” Instead, He was drawing from the Old Testament and God’s covenant name revealed therein. Thus, Jesus claimed equality with the Father by clearly using the divine name that God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14, “I AM WHO I AM.” Jesus identified Himself as the eternal deity, declaring that He was alive as the second person of the Trinity before Abraham was even born. This was declared prophetically by Micah:“Bethlehem Ephrathah,you are small among the clans of Judah;one will come from youto be ruler over Israel for me.His origin is from antiquity,from ancient times.”Micah 5:2And later, the Apostle Paul wrote of the truth that sets us free:“I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience testifies to me through the Holy Spirit - that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, and the promises. The ancestors are theirs, and from them, by physical descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, praised forever. Amen.” Romans 9:1-5Big Picture Questions for Today:* Are you tempted to place Jesus on the same plane as other renowned religious leaders such as Moses or Muhammad? Or do you view Jesus as a fantastic accessory? In light of Jesus’ claims about Himself, however, we cannot do that. Jesus is not just another religious sage, or merely an accessory to our life. He is God incarnate. God took on human flesh in the person of Jesus, and He retains that flesh forever.Pray the lyrics from “Who You Say I Am” by Hillsong Worship, based on John 8: “Free at last, He has ransomed me. His grace runs deep. While I was a slave to sin, Jesus died for me. Who the Son sets free is free indeed. I’m a child of God, yes I am.”Who You Say I Am - Hillsong Worship (Studio Version, with Lyrics) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 19I was driving my Honda Accord to Georgia State University with 18-month-old Mary Grace securely strapped in her carseat behind me. I was finishing up my Masters degree in Early Childhood Education at Georgia State that year. While I was in classes three days a week, Mary Grace attended the Child Development Center on campus. The radio was dialed in to 104.7 The FISH and we sang while heading to school. We were surprisingly on time that day, so I drove without a care in the world, until blue lights pulled up behind me, and it quickly became obvious that I was being pulled over by Atlanta City police.Could I have been speeding while singing to Steve Green on the radio? I guess it was possible. But I’d been in this situation before and had always been able to talk or cry myself out of a ticket. I’m not sure I said this to my toddler daughter, but I certainly thought, “Let’s see if your Mama still has it!” The police officer came to my window and asked for all of the necessary information - driver’s license, insurance, etc. - and asked me if I knew how fast I was going. I responded, “I’m guessing too fast? I’m so sorry.” Fully expecting to receive a warning, I was flabbergasted when the officer returned to my window and handed me a speeding ticket! What was I supposed to do with that?As I continued on my way to GSU, I became more and more incensed that the officer would dare to give me a ticket. By the time I got home that afternoon and told Dale the story, I was determined to go to court and plead my case, rather than simply paying the $250 fine. (For context, It was 1995 and $250 was a lot of money, at least to me.) The date for my court appearance came and I brought Mary Grace with me. We walked into the courtroom and sat down to wait for my name to be called. I had heard from a friend that If I pled “not guilty” and the ticketing officer was there and testified that I was in fact guilty, the judge could increase my fine. I looked at the police officers who were there to testify and defend their tickets, but couldn’t remember what mine looked like. My name and case was called, Mary Grace and I went up to the podium; the judge smiled at my curly headed darling and asked me my plea. I replied, “Not guilty, Your Honor.” He then called the name of the officer, but he wasn’t there! My accuser hadn’t shown up! The judge dismissed my case and Mary Grace and I celebrated the win with ice cream!Before I read from John, I want to make something very clear. I am in no way comparing my silly story with the woman in the passage for today, other than we both were caught by authorities, and rightly so. Yet when we came before the judge, our accusers either didn’t show up or left.Read John 7:53 - 8:1-11There is considerable doubt that this story is part of John’s original Gospel, for it is absent from all of the oldest manuscripts. However, according to multiple commentaries I study, there is nothing in it unworthy of sound doctrine. It seems best to view the story as something that probably happened during Jesus’ ministry but not originally part of what John wrote in his Gospel.The religious leaders were ready to stone a woman to death for being caught in adultery. The law was clear on this point. But it also was clear that the man involved needed to share in the punishment as well, as it takes two to commit adultery. Deuteronomy 22:22 states, “If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die.You must purge the evil from Israel.” and later in Torah Israel is instructed, “If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death. (Leviticus 20:10)So where was the man? The leaders were clearly operating with a double standard, and Jesus was having none of it. When Jesus was asked by those who had caught the woman and who were ready to commence with executing her, his words are piercing to any honest individual then and today. “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” (v 7)Every one of the woman’s accusers walked away silently until none were left but Jesus. The group was ready to kill her until they did some simple and basic introspection. Jesus then said to her, “”Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, Lord,’ she answered. ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus. ‘Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.’” (vv 10-11) When we look inward at our own motives, thoughts and past actions, it should give us pause before we consider judging others - even those who are or have been acting against what we believe or offend us.There are two types of people we should identify with in this vignette. First, we are often standing with those leaders who are ready to judge and hand out the sentence to the woman who has broken the law. It is easy to see ourselves holding the stone and ready to cast judgment on someone. But when Jesus calls on us to look inward and reflect, we are quickly confronted with the harsh reality that we are far from sinless. We are just as deserving of judgment as the woman caught in adultery.Which brings us to the second person we identify with. Once we see that we stand judged ourselves, our association shifts to the woman. When we are honest and pause to reflect, we no longer identify with the angry mob, but instead begin to think - I am the woman! I have no hope except in Christ’s mercy, grace and forgiveness. Ultimately as we finish the story we see that our true and only identity that matters is in Jesus. Praise God I am identified with Christ who willingly stood in front of another angry mob, took their judgment and died in my place.“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8, NIV)Big Picture Questions for Today:* Not only should honest introspection make us acknowledge that we are sinners just as much as any other human being, but in fact we are worse sinners, in that through Christ we have received God’s mercy and forgiveness for crimes against Him. How much more should we be willing to show grace to those who offend us and forgiveness to those who sin against us?Pray, for eyes to see our sin rightly as well as God’s great mercy through Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 18Spring is almost here and that means that many snowcapped mountains in the Rockies will begin the melting process, the seasonal hydrological cycle known as snowmelt runoff, where accumulated winter snowpack turns into liquid water due to rising temperatures and solar radiation. Throughout the cold season, snow builds up on high-altitude peaks, forming thick, compressed, and hardened snowpacks. As temperatures rise, the snowpack begins to melt. The liquid water, or “meltwater,” begins to trickle down, forming small rivulets and streams which flow downhill, merging into larger streams and eventually rushing rivers.A couple of years ago, while visiting our daughter in Colorado in early June, I witnessed the snowmelt runoff first-hand. While driving across a mountain pass, snow was packed 5 feet high on each side of the road. By the time we reached the bottom of the mountain we were greeted by rivers, once reduced to trickling streams rushing, even overflowing their banks! We even went paddle boarding on a glacial, or alpine lake and the colors in the water were spectacular!Today’s reading from John’s gospel takes us back to the Festival of Shelters in Jerusalem and Jesus making yet another significant claim regarding living water. The crowd of listeners won’t have to wait for the end of winter and the snow to melt. The Source was right there and ready to refresh and satisfy them.Read John 7:37-52All Israel had gathered in Jerusalem for Sukkot, the Jewish festival that commemorated the 40 years their ancestors spent in the dry, thirsty wilderness after their exodus from Egypt. There, on the last and most important day of the festival, as the crowd called on God to bless the world with water, “Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.’” (v 38)“…As the Scripture has said…” Which specific scripture is Jesus talking about? Running water, or living water as it was called in the Bible, is a theme that runs throughout the entire biblical text and is often a picture of God’s dynamic Spirit at work in the world. Jesus’ invitation refers back to Old Testament prophetic passages such as Isaiah 55:1 in which Israel is invited to, “Come, everyone who is thirsty, come to the water; and you without silver, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without silver and without cost!” and just a few chapters later Isaiah again references the people’s unquenchable thirst, “The Lord will always lead you, satisfy you in a parched land, and strengthen your bones. You will be like a watered garden and like a spring whose water never runs dry.” (Is 58:11) One of the most beautiful examples of this living water comes from a vision Ezekiel experiences in Ezekiel 47:1-12. The prophet is shown a small drip…drip…drip of water coming out from under the temple in Jerusalem. Further down the mountain the small drip becomes a trickle, which then becomes a steam, which becomes a river, until finally the rush of water is so strong and wide that it couldn’t be crossed. Ezekiel measures the depth of the water and witnesses it rise from his ankles to his knees to his waist, until finally, he can’t cross safely. Over the roar of the rapids, God asks Ezekiel, “Do you see this, son of man?” (Ez 47:6) Ezekiel looks and sees that lush trees are bursting up along both banks of the river. Amazed, the prophet exclaims: “Since the water will become fresh, there will be life everywhere the river goes.” (Ez 47:9)At this point in the vision Ezekiel starts wondering where this River of Life is headed. Will it fill a valley somewhere calm and quiet, creating a peaceful lake for people to enjoy? Will it circle back to the temple to avoid becoming contaminated by anything less than the freshest water? No, the river cascades directly to the unlikeliest of places: the Dead Sea. And when the flow crashes into this body of water notorious for lifelessness (due to its extremely high salt content), the Dead Sea actually bursts into life! Fish, frogs, fruit trees, you name it. This place that was once barren and lifeless is now a perfect example of God’s transforming power, further evidence that God brings dead things to life.When Jesus invites the festival celebrants to come to Him and drink, He is offering more than a one-time drink of water. If they came to Jesus for refreshment, they would have to believe in him and enter into a trusting, ongoing personal relationship with him, but the invitation doesn’t stop there. Jesus is offering them the opportunity to actually join God in His work of transformation! Shalom to chaos, light to darkness, life to the dead places of the world…or in the case of Ezekiel’s vision, freshwater to saltwater. But there is one very important detail about this life-giving water: the trickle that becomes a stream that becomes a life-giving river does not find its source in the people Jesus is speaking to, nor you or me.But honestly, that’s the very best part. The trickle that becomes a stream and eventually a life-giving river does not find its source in God’s people, past, present or future. If we walk with Ezekiel back to the beginning of his vision, we find the source is the very wellspring of God’s presence, specifically, the altar on which the lamb is sacrificed. Fast forward to Jesus’ offer, and knowing that He has come as the Lamb of God, to take away the sins of the world, that trickle of living water was already beginning to flow into all who believed and trusted in Jesus as Messiah. Those streams of living water were beginning to flow from within some of them, changing how they related to God, to their families, to their neighbors. But He was offering Himself to all who would come and believe.Of course this continued to be a problem for the religious leaders. When the temple police returned to the Sanhedrin without Jesus, perhaps with their eyes a bit glazed over, the priests asked them, “‘Why didn’t you bring him?’ The servants answered, ‘No man ever spoke like this!’” (v 45-46) Their answer was more profoundly true than these officers could have realized, for no other man in history has been fully God as well and thus able to speak with the infinite knowledge and authority of God Himself.My son, pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings. Don’t lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to one’s whole body. Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. Proverbs 4:20-23Big Picture Questions for Today:* Do you struggle, like the crowds in Jerusalem that spring, to trust that Jesus is Who He says He is? Do you get stuck in needing everything to make sense to your finite mind, asking the wrong questions, like, “Isn’t the Messiah supposed to be from Bethlehem?” And “Surely the Messiah wouldn’t come from Galilee, would He?”Pray for faith to come to Jesus alone to quench our thirst, to cling desperately to Him so that His sacrificial love flows not only into us, but overflows out of us. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 17* Charlie: Now casinos have house rules: they don’t like to lose. So you never show that you’re counting cards. That is the cardinal sin, Ray.* Raymond: Counting cards is bad.* Charlie: Yes.* Raymond: I like to drive slow on the driveway.* Charlie: If you get this right, Ray, you can drive anywhere you want as slow as you want.The 1988 box office hit Rain Man tells the story of Charlie Babbitt, a selfish car dealer whose estranged father has passed away. Expecting to cash in on his inheritance, Charlie discovers that his dad left his $3 million fortune to an institutionalized older brother he never even knew he had, Raymond. Hoping to reclaim the money, Charlie kidnaps Raymond, and their cross-country road trip forces him to bond with his autistic brother, transforming his selfish worldview. On the way, Charlie discovers Raymond’s savant abilities - specifically the incredible gift of counting just about anything - minutes until his favorite show or the number of toothpicks that fall to the floor in a diner. What about cards? Charlie concocts a plan to recoup his inheritance that their dad left solely to Raymond and takes him to Las Vegas to count cards, without getting caught. “Look what my brother can do!”In today’s reading, Jesus’ brothers, those younger siblings who grew up with a big brother who never got in trouble with mom or dad, encourage Jesus to show off His supernatural skills on the biggest stage in Israel - Jerusalem.Read John 7:1-36Scripture identifies four brothers of Jesus—James, Joseph (also called Joses), Simon, and Jude (also called Judas) along with unnamed sisters. While Protestants refer to the brothers as “half-brothers” who shared Mary as mother but not Joseph, Catholic and Orthodox traditions view them as stepbrothers, believing they were Joseph’s children from a previous marriage or even close cousins. James would become a leader of the church in Jerusalem, as noted by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatian church, “I didn’t see any of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.” (Gal 1:19) and is credited as author of the Book of James in the New Testament. Likewise, Jesus’ brother Jude is credited with writing the Book of Jude; yet at this moment in the gospel story, none of Jesus’ siblings truly believed He was the Messiah.Jesus’ brothers urge him to go with them to Jerusalem for the Jewish Festival of Shelters coming up. During this festival, the Israelites constructed temporary shelters, or sukkahs to live in for 7 days, in remembrance of their freedom from slavery and journey through the wilderness. Taking advantage of their lifelong relationship with Him, the brothers began to pressure Jesus to show off His abilities and shut the doubters up. They encouraged Him to step onto the larger stage, showcasing His miracles publicly in the major religious center of Judea rather than the remote villages of Galilee, primarily because they did not yet believe in him and doubted his ministry. And who would be riding Jesus’ coattails, in positions of “Special Advisor to the Messiah?” Why Jesus’ real brothers of course, not this ragtag band of misfits following Him around.Jesus sees right through His brothers’ appearance of concern for Him to their skepticism, their pride, and at the root of it all - their unbelief. John explicitly states that “not even Jesus’ brothers believed in him,” (v 5) prompting them to act with sarcasm or challenge his legitimacy. If Jesus was really all that He was claiming to be, they argued, He should be confident enough to show Himself to the world. What was He so scared of? Or maybe they simply misunderstood Jesus’ mission, desiring him to become famous. It was fine for Jesus to “show off” a bit and for His brothers to lead the way exclaiming, “Look what our brother can do!” They would enjoy fame and attention just by their proximity to Jesus.Of course, Jesus refuses to be His brothers’ puppet king, but does head to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles later. Eventually He enters the temple courts and begins teaching. Those who hear offer mixed reviews, but all are impressed with His ability to teach, as Jesus is not formally trained. (Ha! He is the Word, Who spoke everything into existence, Who etched the law on tablets of stone. One might say Jesus was self-taught!) And while, by their responses to Jesus’ words the crowds displayed their lack of Biblical knowledge and understanding, “many from the crowd believed in him and said, ‘When the Messiah comes, he won’t perform more signs than this man has done, will he?’” (v 31) Once the Pharisees got wind of this talk, they conferred with the chief priests and deployed officers (or temple police) to arrest Jesus. The temple police were drawn from the Levites and were charged with maintaining order in the temple precincts. The order from the Sanhedrin to arrest Jesus implies that they planned to allege criminal activity on His part, whether it be working on the Sabbath or claiming to be the Messiah. The leaders’ case was building as quickly as their fear of not being firmly in control of the Messiah narrative.Nothing would happen to Jesus, because “his hour had not yet come.” (v 30) Jesus’ strong awareness of God’s providential direction of the circumstances of His life provided peace; His enemies could not capture or harm Him until “the hour” of his arrest, crucifixion, and death, as ordained by God. God the Father would not allow these things to happen until the earthly ministry of Jesus, His Beloved Son, was complete.Big Picture Questions for Today:* Do you ever find yourself embarrassed by God’s seeming lack of power in this world? Do you want Jesus to show His glory in such a way that makes you glorious too?Pray from 2 Peter 3:8, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” When God seems slow to act, pray for reminders that He is not in a hurry, for with God, a thousand years are like a day. We can rest in the One who is beyond time and is always on time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

I AM - The Gate for the SheepYahoo! It is Sunday again and our third Feast Day!! On this Lord’s Day, enjoy worshiping with your church family, through songs and hymns, through the reading and teaching of God’s Word, through giving cheerfully, and enjoying the blessed gift of food, chocolate, social media, or anything you may have set aside for your Lenten promise.The Seven I AM’sEach Sunday of #LentenDaily 2026 we will focus on a specific I AM statement made by Jesus to His followers. Jesus’ I AM statements would have particular significance to the first-century Jewish listener. Just as God had revealed Himself to Moses as the “I AM” when calling him to return to Egypt and lead His people out of slavery, Jesus used the same words to describe Himself throughout His ministry, as recorded by John. More specifically, “I AM WHO I AM” (Hebrew: Ehyeh asher ehyeh) is a profound declaration from Exodus 3:14, where God reveals His name to Moses as the self-existent, eternal, and faithful Deliverer. Signifying that God is not dependent on anything else for existence and is present with His people, this name represents an immutable, self-sufficient, and ever-present being. When “God replied to Moses, “‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.’” (Ex 3:14), He was revealing Himself as the eternal, invincible, covenant-keeping God that He was, is and always will be.Today we will take a look at the third of Jesus’ I AM claims, I AM the Gate for the Sheep.Read John 10:1-10I imagine as Jesus was teaching His disciples, He looked out and saw a community sheep pen, also referred to as a sheepfold, and began to share more of Who He Is through this common illustration. The sheep pen was commonly a courtyard near or beside a house or village and bordered by a stone wall, in which one or several families kept their sheep. After spending the day outside in the fields nearby, eating grass and drinking fresh water from the stream, the shepherds would gather their sheep and lead them back to the sheep pen, to rest and for safety. Being exposed and out in the open fields after dark wasn’t safe and put the herd at risk of predators. Of course, there were seasons when the herds were required to graze far away from their sheep pen, in order to find fresh grazing land, but the most secure spot for the sheep was undoubtedly the community sheep pen. While these pens may or may not have had a formal door, there was only one way in and the entrance was guarded by a gatekeeper, who would be hired to stand watch over the sheep or by the shepherd himself.Anyone who didn’t come through the gate, but instead over the stone walls was up to no good. Most likely a thief or a robber, these outsiders had to sneak in to take what was not theirs, because the sheep would not respond to a voice they didn’t recognize. That meant that the gate was at all times secure and guarded. The gatekeeper would not sleep during his shift; otherwise the entire flock was at risk. In smaller sheep pens, the shepherd himself would sometimes lie down at the entrance to the pen, becoming a human gate that protected the sheep from all intruders. Jesus boldly says, “Guys, I’m the gate and the gatekeeper for my Father’s sheep. The sheep who are mine recognize my voice and follow me.” (v 3, 4, &7, paraphrased)But the community sheep pen and gate wasn’t all that Jesus was referring to when he proclaimed, “Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep…If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.” (vv 7-9) He was referencing a Sheep Gate that had been in existence since the building of Jerusalem’s walls and the Temple.Historically, the Sheep Gate was named for its function in the sacrificial system of ancient Israel. Sheep intended for temple sacrifices were brought through this gate, then washed in the Pool of Bethesda, (where Jesus healed the paralytic) making it a vital part of the religious and economic life of Jerusalem. The proximity of the Sheep Gate to the Temple Mount facilitated the movement of sacrificial animals, underscoring the gate’s role in the worship practices of the Israelites.When the Jews who had been in captivity in Babylon for 70 years were returned, only to find the walls of Jerusalem and the temple destroyed, none of the gates, including the Sheep Gate, were in good working condition. Later, when Nehemiah came to Jerusalem to oversee the reconstruction of the walls, the Sheep Gate was the first gate to be restored: “The high priest Eliashib and his fellow priests began rebuilding the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and installed its doors.” (Neh 3:1) Rebuilt by the High Priest and his fellow priests, it is important to note that this was the only gate that was dedicated, or set apart as holy, as it was used for bringing in sacrifices for the temple.Thousands of years had passed since Nehemiah’s reconstruction project, and now Jesus was here, fulfilling and explaining these beautiful symbols of sacrifice and salvation. Not coincidentally, Jesus always entered Jerusalem via the Sheep Gate, with the exception of the Triumphal Entry, when He entered through the Eastern Gate. (also referred to as Mercy or Beautiful Gate) The Sheep Gate also led to Golgotha, the path Jesus, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (Jn 1:29) walked, carrying His cross on His back, to willingly give His life as a sacrifice for you and me. The Gate that keeps us safe and free, enabling us to live abundantly.“Open the gates of righteousness for me; I will enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. This is the Lord’s gate; the righteous will enter through it. I will give thanks to you because you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This came from the Lord; it is wondrous in our sight. This is the day the Lord has made; let’s rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 188:19-24And finally, please enjoy this beautiful song written and sung by Phil Wickham, “It’s Always Been You,” paying specific attention to the lyrics of the first verse, “You saw me first and You let me in when I was at my worst. The moment when I heard You say my name, it’s the first in so long I’m not afraid.”Phil Wickham - It’s Always Been You (Official Lyric Video)It’s Always Been You, by Phil Wickham, 2021-Verse 1-You saw me firstAnd You let me in when I was at my worstThe moment when I heard You say my nameIt’s the first time in so long I’m not afraidI’m not afraid-Chorus-You are the voice that calms the storm inside meCastle walls that stand around meAll this time, my guardian was YouYou are the light that shines in every tunnelThere in the past, You’ll be there tomorrowAll my life, Your love was breaking throughIt’s always been YouIt’s always been You-Verse 2-My northern starYour love will be the compass of my heartOh, I just wanna be right wherе You areRight where You arе-Chorus--Bridge-Who stood with me in the fire?It was You, it was always YouWho pulled me out of the water?It was You, it was always YouAnd who carried me on Their shoulders?It was You, I know it’s You, You-Chorus-You are the voice that calms the storm inside meCastle walls that stand around meAll this time, my guardian was YouYou are the light that shines in every tunnelThere in the past, You’ll be there tomorrowAll my life, Your love was breaking throughIt’s always been YouAnd it’s always been YouIt’s always been YouIt’s always been You This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 16“You had me until I saw the bottom line.” Dale and I had met with a contractor about updating the modest screen porch on the back of our home. As we walked around the existing porch and decking, the ideas were flowing - we could replace the flooring and railing of the entire deck, not just the porch. And while we were at it, we could extend the staircase that led down to the terrace level. I was so excited! It was going to be fantastic! I had already picked out the color of the new Trex composite deck board and the cool metal and wire materials for the railing. And then the estimate came in. It was triple what we had expected and planned for. There was no way we were going to spend that kind of money on a project of that size and scope.“You had me until…” is a phrase signaling that initial interest, agreement, or trust was lost at a specific turning point—often due to a deal-breaker, sudden change, or disappointment. In today’s reading, we see the Jews obsessed with Jesus - His miracles, His stories and teachings - until He starts talking about His followers needing to eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to have eternal life. He had them until they heard the bottom line. They were all in for the miracles of healing and bread. Eternal life sounded fantastic, until Jesus’ words took a turn towards Crazy Town!Read John 6:47-70Following the third sign of His Messiahship - feeding the 5,000 - Jesus begins to explain the deep symbolism of this food and adds a seemingly impossible conclusion, “Truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (vv 53-54) This sends shockwaves through the crowd. Did they hear Jesus correctly? Has He lost His mind? If I put myself in their shoes, even knowing the law and the prophets, Jesus’ instructions sound preposterous.As Jesus has done frequently up to this point in His ministry, He speaks in terms of the physical in order to teach about spiritual realities. Here, to “eat” Jesus’ flesh has the spiritual meaning of trusting or believing in him, especially in his death for the sins of mankind. Similarly, to “drink his blood” means to trust in his atoning death, which is represented by the shedding of his blood. Although Jesus is not speaking specifically about the upcoming Lord’s Supper here, there is a parallel theme, because the receiving of eternal life through being united with “the Son of Man” is represented in the Lord’s Supper, in which Jesus’ followers symbolically eat his flesh and drink his blood. We see this most clearly through the Apostle Paul’s instructions to the Corinthian believers:“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Cor. 11:23–32)It would make perfect sense after His death and resurrection, at least for those who would have eyes to see and ears to hear the things of the Spirit. But for now, this line of thinking was hard, almost impossible to understand and trust. Because they were wrongly interpreting Jesus’ statements literally, many concluded that His teachings were too hard and asked, “Who can accept it?” (v 60) And so Jesus continues to explain that human nature, including emotions, will and intellect, is completely incapable of producing genuine spiritual life. This can only be accomplished by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit was working powerfully in and through the words Jesus spoke - words of spirit and life - awakening genuine spiritual life in some present, but not all.“From that moment many of his disciples turned back and no longer accompanied him.” (v 66) Many of these early disciples were not genuine disciples of Christ, for they turned back. Their initial “faith” was not genuine and they were perhaps following Jesus only because of the physical benefits he gave, such as healing and multiplying food. “You had me until you started talking about eating flesh and blood. I was just wanting more of that yummy bread you served last time.”Jesus turns to the Twelve and asks if they also want to leave. Is His truth too hard for them as well? Simon Peter answers, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” (vv 68-69) There is no other teacher who can lead people to eternal life and to true fellowship with God himself. While they would still have much to learn regarding Jesus’ impending death and resurrection, Peter’s declaration conveys genuine, saving faith and reflects Asaph’s similar question and answer in Psalm 73:“Who do I have in heaven but you?And I desire nothing on earth but you.My flesh and my heart may fail,but God is the strength of my heart,my portion forever.”(Psalm 73:25-26)Big Picture Questions for Today:* How do the crowds respond to Jesus and what he says?* What’s the most important thing you will remember for your life and relationship with Jesus from today’s reading?* Why did so many of Jesus’ followers ultimately leave Him? Do you see this type of fair-weather loyalty today?Pray, “Dear God of the universe who provides daily bread for the nourishment of our bodies, we thank you for providing Jesus as the Bread of Life to nourish, energize, and sustain our bodies, minds, and spirits. Remind us of the importance of “feeding” on Jesus each day so that our faith may grow stronger, our hope brighter, and our love deeper for Jesus and for all your children. In His Name, Amen.”Every time I read Peter’s response to Jesus’ question, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?”“Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” (vv 67-69) I instantly am reminded of Don Moen and Integrity Hosanna’s song, “God is the Strength of My Heart,” taken directly from Psalm 73.God Is the Strength of My Heart This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 15Do you have a favorite holiday? Valentine’s Day, with the boxes of chocolates and vases full of roses? Or the 4th of July, with its patriotic parades and fireworks displays? Maybe you love Thanksgiving, when families gather from near and far to give thanks around a table filled with family favorites - turkey, cornbread dressing, and pumpkin pie. Whether you have a favorite holiday or enjoy them all equally, these moments on the calendar serve to establish rhythms of remembrance, of focused and intentional time with family and friends, and of course, specific foods that we look forward to enjoying.The nation of Israel was no different. They had specific holidays that they observed as well. As I was studying the Gospel According to John in preparation for this Lenten devotional season, I was struck by the regularity with which John pairs Jesus’ signs with one of the Jewish festivals. So I did a little research and was once again amazed at God’s perfect plan of redemption, instituted from the very beginning.In Leviticus 23:1-2 “The LORD spoke to Moses: ‘Speak to the Israelites and tell them: These are my appointed times, the times of the LORD that you will proclaim as sacred assemblies.’” Rooted in the gift of Sabbath (Shabbat) that was to be observed every seventh day, regardless of where they lived or what they were doing, there were seven specific festivals or appointments, also known as feasts, during which the people of God would gather together, remember specific elements of the festival, eat specific food and celebrate Yahweh’s goodness and provision for them as a people. Note that there were seven feasts - there’s that number again - the number of completion, of fullness. The seven Jewish festivals instituted by God intentionally demonstrated a complete picture of God’s redemptive plan, structured in seven stages.The Seven Feasts of the Lord were divided into Spring and Fall. The Spring Festivals began with Passover (Pesach) and Unleavened Bread (Hag Hamatzot), followed by Firstfruits (Hag HaBikkurim) and Pentecost or Weeks (Shavuot). Fall began with the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), then the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and ending the festival season with the Feast of Tabernacles (Succoth).New Zealander theologians at JesusPlusNothing.com, Iain Gordon and Brett Wilton, were so helpful to explain how each of the appointed Jewish feasts find their fulfillment in the life of the Messiah Jesus and God’s plan to redeem this world! At a natural level each of the feasts celebrated some aspect of Jewish history. But God gave them for a far greater reason than that, to foretell in advance the work of His Son, Jesus Christ, in specific relation to His death, resurrection and return. Specifically, the spring feasts center in on the Messiah’s death, burial and resurrection and the Holy Spirit’s indwelling. The fall feasts are rehearsals for the rapture and resurrection of believers, the second coming of Christ and finally the coming Messianic Kingdom.The “festival cycle” in John’s Gospel, which spans chapters 5–10, is characterized by escalating conflict between Jesus and the Jewish authorities. Everything Jesus says and does in conjunction with these specific festivals is significant, and today’s reading is no exception.Read John 6:1-21When I read that Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee and went up a mountain and sat down with His disciples, a smile comes across my face and I’m transported to that very place in my memories of a family trip to Israel and our tour guide, Micha Ashkenazi, who famously said throughout our week with him, “Only in Israel, would “lakes” be called “seas” and “hills,” “mountains.”As much as half a year may have passed since the previous sign and accompanying teaching, as it is time for the Festival of Passover once again. This is the second of three Passovers mentioned by John and the only one during Jesus’ ministry that finds Him in Galilee. The Sea of Galilee, known as Lake Tiberias and modern-day Kinneret is fed from the Jordan to the north and spills out again to the Jordan in the south. The “mountain” Jesus and His disciples climbed, with thousands of followers in tow most likely refers to the hill country east of the lake, known today as the Golan Heights.Interestingly, Jesus asks Philip how they will buy enough bread to feed the 5,000 men plus their wives and children. Why would He “test” Philip, knowing full well what He was about to do? While I don’t know this for sure, I think it had something to do with their first encounter, when Philip’s skepticism of anything good coming from Nazareth quickly melted away by Jesus’ prior knowledge of him. (Jn 1: 43-51) Philip had witnessed the first three of Jesus’ signs highlighted in John’s gospel. Would he expect that Jesus would deliver on this current need? Perhaps it wasn’t even a need that Philip viewed as legitimate, as a problem that was theirs to solve. Still, he responds to Jesus’ question logically, that it would require 8-months salary to purchase enough for everyone to have just a bite of food. Then Jesus takes the five barley loaves and two fish that Andrew found, thanks God for the provision, and proceeds to feed everyone there!Immediately after this story, John will tell his readers about Jesus walking on water. In John’s readers’ minds, these two stories will be directly linked to Moses and Exodus and the Passover Festival they were about to celebrate. In the wilderness, there was no humanly possible way for Moses to feed the huge crowd of Hebrews. But Moses wasn’t responsible for feeding the people. God would do it every day, except for the Sabbath, for 40 years through the manna that would appear each morning. The feeding of the 5,000 hearkens back to Israel being fed by manna from heaven.The crowd sees the Moses/Jesus connection here, that Moses was pointing to Jesus as their true Provider and Protector. But their understanding of the Messiah is still incomplete. They want a Messiah who would rally Israel to overcome her enemies and put the nation in its rightful place above all other nations. Their response? To force Jesus to take up the mantle of conquering king, but Jesus withdraws to the mountains to pray.The I AM who fed His people bread from heaven was providing that and more in the person of Jesus. The I AM who parted the Red Sea, allowing Moses to lead His people to safety was walking on the stormy water to His fearful disciples. The very one they anticipated through the Festival of Passover was in their midst!Big Picture Questions for Today:* How does John’s connection of these two signs of Jesus’ Messiahship with the Festival of Passover impact your understanding and appreciation of God’s intentionality?* Have you attended a Passover Seder before? If not, I would encourage you to find a Messianic congregation in your area and inquire about attending one this year. (Passover is April 1-9 this year)Pray, for eyes of understanding, for a big view of God’s intricately woven plan of redemption throughout history and His Word.Thank Him for the beautiful ways He communicates His plan and love for His people. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 14Indiana Jones Theme Song [HD]In the final film of the Indiana Jones’ cinematic series, famed archeologist Indiana Jones is in for the adventure of his life. When he receives a mysterious journal in the mail, Indy realizes that his father, Henry Jones Sr. has sent him a journal containing clues and a map that leads to the legendary Holy Grail, believed to be the cup Jesus used at the Last Supper, for which Indy’s father has been hunting all his adult life. When Henry goes missing, Indy must pick up where his father left off and work to uncover the true location of the Grail. Little does Indy know that Nazi foes are on the hunt for the Grail as well for their own nefarious intentions.The Holy Grail, also known as the Cup of Christ, was an artifact said to have supernatural powers, specifically the ability to grant immortality - eternal life. Contrary to popular belief, which held that the cup of the King of Kings would naturally be a fabulous jewel-encrusted golden chalice, it actually was a simple, worn and very battered cup. As Indiana Jones remarked, “That’s the cup of a carpenter,” he realized that the Holy Grail would most assuredly reflect the humble origins of the carpenter turned rabbi from Nazareth.In today’s reading, Jesus has much to say about eternal life and how one can receive it. Spoiler alert: it isn’t found in a cup.Read John 5:24-47Following Jesus’ healing of the disabled man by the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath, He continues teaching about what He had really come to grant - eternal life, starting in verse 24, “Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.” (v 24) This is one of the most striking statements in the Gospels regarding the present possession of eternal life. According to Jesus, eternal life begins immediately, in a partially realized but significant way, when one believes in Him.Both verses 24 and 25 begin with “Truly…” indicating the importance of what is to follow. It’s as if Jesus is saying, “Seriously, guys…” or “Absolute truth here…” when He says, “Truly I tell you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” (v 25) Jesus is proclaiming his authority to give life, emphasizing that spiritual resurrection is occurring immediately through belief in him. “The dead” are those spiritually dead in the darkness of their sin, who receive new life upon hearing and believing the gospel.Later He claims that this eternal life is also full and abundant, “A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” (Jn 10:10)Those who believe in Jesus and have received the gift of eternal life can face the last judgment with confidence, John writes in his first letter: “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 Jn 5:11-13)Jesus recognizes the Jews’ lack of faith and abundant life by their attitudes and behaviors towards Him and their fellow Jews. They didn’t have God’s Word in their hearts, otherwise they would recognize the Messiah standing right in front of them. “You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me,” (v 39) Jesus continued, yet they were unwilling to come to Him in order to freely and lightly live.The study of Scripture cannot by itself impart life. The Scriptures merely bear witness to the One who gives life, namely, Jesus. Therefore, the study of the Bible ought to result in true, genuine faith in Jesus, followed by obedient action and transformed lives, not merely the acquisition of Bible knowledge.Our true faith is evidenced in obedient and sincere works. All those who truly believe in the Son of Man will be brought “from death to life.” (v 24) As a result, those who believe and receive eternal life do good and will therefore enjoy the resurrection of life. We see this promise of eternal, abundant life in the vision that God gave the prophet Daniel:“At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress such as never has occurred since nations came into being until that time. But at that time all your people who are found written in the book will escape. Many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to disgrace and eternal contempt. Those who have insight will shine like the bright expanse of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel 12:1-3)The One who set each star in place, whose insights were as bright and vast as the bright expanse of the heavens, was present among them, inviting them to believe and receive life in His Name.Big Picture Questions for Today:* Is it easy or difficult for you to believe that eternal life is found only in a relationship with Jesus?* Are you experiencing the abundance of life that Jesus promised? Are you looking at your circumstances to determine whether or not you are enjoying the abundant life?Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believeso that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rom 15:13)Pray for desire and courage to cooperate with the Spirit, to believe in Jesus alone for eternal life and receive the spiritual abundance He offers right here, right now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 13Have you or someone you love struggled with chronic pain or disease? Perhaps an injury has left you in constant pain, only helped when on the strongest of pain medications, yet leaving you so numb that you have difficulty engaging in conversation. Or maybe you developed an autoimmune disease as an adult that has left you fighting constant fatigue, pain and isolation. When you first receive the diagnosis, everyone in your family and community quickly encircles you, ready to help, give rides to treatment, shop for groceries, get your kids to all of their activities. Your church family makes a point to check with you, provides meals and prays over and with you regularly. But as the unexplainable pain continues to wreak havoc on your body and mind, with no end in sight, you and your helpers struggle to remain hopeful. The joy you once exuded, confident that God would see you through this season of pain is choked and shriveled. Instead of words of hope being on the tip of your tongue, you find yourself complaining, crying out in agony, pessimistic that God has good for you.You find yourself vacillating between craving your care team’s presence, so thankful for them and pushing them away, not trusting they really care for you. Eventually, it becomes difficult for your family and community to stay positive and hopeful, to continue caring for you, even to be around you. They might begin to wonder if you truly want to be healed and set free from the disease that has entrapped you. You might wonder that as well, but it’s more likely that your attitude that pushes others away, is rooted in self-protection. You just can’t let yourself hope anymore, only to be crushingly disappointed one more time.Today’s reading from the Gospel according to John highlights a man who has been struggling with paralysis for most of his life. When Jesus sees him lying there and learns that he had been in this condition for a long time, He asks the man an unusual question that would surgically probe the depths of the man’s heart, “Do you want to get well?” (v 6)And while this question Jesus asked may have seemed insensitive to the casual observer, and perhaps even to us, His inquiry launched a major event - Jesus’ third divine sign!Read John 5:1-23The Pool of Bethesda was a multilevel inground pool, banked by five colonnades - column-lined covered walkways - and stairs that led into multiple pools of water. “Bethesda” means “house of mercy,” a fitting term given the desperate state of the people lying there in hope of a miracle cure. During Jesus’s time, a large crowd of disabled people would regularly gather at the pool and wait for the opportunity to be healed. They believed that at certain seasons an angel would come down and “stir” the water, giving it healing properties. Legend had it that healing was available to anyone who was able to enter the pool first after an angel stirred the water. In fact, a few translations of John’s gospel include verse 4 of chapter 5 which claimed that the lame and sick would wait near the pool, “because an angel would go down into the pool from time to time and stir up the water. Then the first one who got in after the water was stirred up recovered from whatever ailment he had.” (v 4)For 38 years the paralytic man frequented the Pool of Bethesda, hoping to be healed. Something drew him and the multitudes of other disabled people there year after year. Had healing actually taken place in the mysterious waters before? In addition to the rumor that angels came and gave the waters healing properties, a second theory suggests healing took place in the waters of Bethesda because the pool was fed by a mineral hot spring. Supporters of this view believe that the naturally occurring minerals in the spring would have spontaneously cured many ailments upon contact. The truth is Scripture doesn’t provide details about what exactly the Pool of Bethesda was used for nor does it explain why so many sick people came to believe in the healing powers of the water. But there’s one thing we do know for certain. The paralytic man was healed near the Pool of Bethesda—by Jesus alone.I wonder if the lame man awakened that momentous morning, wishing that he hadn’t? In bitterness, did he scoot himself to the edge of the water hating the world, hating his life, and despising the waning hope that had drawn him to the pool in the first place? Had guilt and shame gripped the man to the point that it kept him from believing he ever could be healed?Jesus enters the Pool of Bethesda through the colonnades on the Sabbath and sees the paralyzed man lying there. He sees the man’s shriveled legs and knows that he has been there a long time. Jesus gently asks, “Do you want to get well?” (v 6) The man possessed so little hope that he couldn’t answer Jesus’ question directly. Instead, he replied with a statement that revealed a deeper, more painful burden than the need for physical healing. “I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, someone goes down ahead of me.” (v 7)The man had no one to help him. Can you imagine, having no one? The isolation must have been as emotionally and spiritually debilitating as his paralysis was physical. Was it the man’s fault he had no one with him? Perhaps he had driven every possible helper away with his defeatist attitude, cynicism, or simply his own overwhelming neediness? Maybe over the course of 38 years, his helpers had fallen away as they began to realize there was no point in wasting their time. He was never getting better and was so hard to be around. And so he was all alone.“‘Get up,’ Jesus told him, ‘pick up your mat and walk.’ Instantly the man got well, picked up his mat, and started to walk.’ (vv 8-9) Did I mention that it was the Sabbath? While the Old Testament did not prohibit such an innocent activity as carrying one’s sleeping mat on the Sabbath, the man was violating Jewish traditions that had instituted hundreds of minutely detailed rules about what kind of “work” was prohibited on the Sabbath. Hidden deep within the fine print of Jewish regulations was a code that forbade carrying an object “from one domain into another.”(Mishnah, Shabbat 7.2)Jesus does not defend himself by getting into a rabbinic discussion on the nature of work. Rather, he claims he is working, just like God (from v 17), and hence is, as the Synoptic Gospels teach, the Lord of the Sabbath. In healing the invalid man, Jesus was exemplifying genuine love and compassion for the weak, marginalized and overlooked. The ones others had grown tired of helping or listening to their pain. They had set up such high walls of standards and rules that they no longer even saw these wounded people in pain.In healing this man, and specifically on the Sabbath when it caused such an uproar, Jesus was claiming to be the Son of God, not in the way that ordinary human believers are sons of God but in the sense of one who was equal to God in his nature and in every way. Jesus had come to “heal the brokenhearted.” (Isaiah 61:1) And while He spoke life into the paralytic’s legs that were for all intents and purposes dead, He offered so much more - for “just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom he wants.” (v 21) It was totally worth the wait!“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you. Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.” 1 Peter 5:6-9Big Picture Questions for Today:* How about you? Have you ever felt forgotten by God, as if He isn’t listening to your prayers?* Do you tire of watching others prosper - physically, relationally, materially - receiving all manner of blessings while you are required to wait?* Are you exhausted from the physical and emotional pain? Discouraged in the waiting? Consumed with loneliness? Watching your hope fade away, replaced with bitterness?Pray, for faith to trust that God’s plans and timing are perfect and will not be thwarted. We can rest, knowing that He sees and cares for us, even when He seems distant or silent, “casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.”Lastly, please enjoy this musical exhortation to find Joy in the Waiting by Aaron Bacus. Listen to these lyrics, “I’ll stay right here believing You’re not running late…I’ll find joy in the waiting, I’ll find peace in the pause. You’re still working while I’m praying. You’re not finished at all!” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 12Every year as the Christmas season approaches, I look forward to the musical versions of A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. My favorite for the longest time stars Kelsey Graham as Ebenezer Scrooge, but a few years ago another musical version starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds took the lead.In the 2022 film Spirited, the “ripple effect” represents how one person’s redemption—specifically the dubbed “unredeemable” Clint Briggs—creates a positive, far-reaching impact on society, reversing the cycle of division. The film emphasizes that every small action, word and choice has the potential to create an often unmeasured, lasting and expanding influence on the world. One of the songs only included in the closing credits details the thesis of the entire musical and, in my opinion, Dickens’ original story, entitled “Ripples,” specifically the lyrics from this verse:Now if we choose this dude, one goes to two and fourAnd then it jumps from four to eight(Ripple, ripple, ripple)Yes, soon you guys, it multiplies to thousands moreCan you hear it reverberate? (Ripple, ripple, ripple)Then to millions and to billions and it never ends (it never ends)All across the world the change is gaining some tractionRipple effect theory describes how a single action or event creates a chain reaction of spreading consequences, much like pebbles dropped in water, impacting an increasingly larger system over time. It is clearly seen, not only in meteorological contexts but also social, psychological, and economic, where small inputs/pebbles (or lack thereof) can lead to disproportionately large, even worldwide outcomes.Today we read of the third pebble that Jesus tosses into His missional life, creating ripples, seen and unseen, of God’s love for the world. I don’t believe it is any coincidence that John’s gospel is demonstrating, even proving God’s love for the whole world, as stated in John 3:16, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John’s first example shows Jesus bringing the gospel to respected Jewish teacher, Nicodemus, then to an outcast Samaritan woman, and today we read of a Gentile official working for the Roman government needing the life and light that only comes through Jesus. Jesus is proving by implication from these examples, that He has come for everyone…the ripples will extend to the entire world!Read John 4:43-54After spending two days in the Samaritan town of Sychar, sharing the truth of Himself and the Kingdom of God, Jesus and His disciples headed to Galilee, where He was warmly welcomed. Many of these Galilean Jews had seen Jesus in Jerusalem during the recent Passover Festival. They had witnessed Him overturning the tables in the Gentile’s court and heard His claim to rebuild the destroyed temple in a mere three days. I imagine they were inspired to see a regular man from their part of the country taking on the religious establishment. They were thrilled Jesus was there!Jesus and His entourage entered Cana, where He had attended the wedding ceremony with His mother and had performed His first miraculous sign, turning water into wine. There a mid-level official, most likely a Gentile centurion in the service of Herod Antipas, approached Jesus for help. The centurion was based in Capernaum, 20-25 miles from Cana, requiring a full day’s walk. Because the journey involves descending from the higher elevation of Cana down to Capernaum, which was along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, it would take 5-6 hours of travel. This man’s son was terribly sick and the centurion was desperate to help him in any way he could. When he heard that Jesus was on the move in Galilee, he left his sick son and got to Cana as quickly as he could to plead for help from Jesus. There was nothing this father wouldn’t do for his son.Jesus’ challenge, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe” (v 48) was not only to the royal official, but also to the Galilean people in general, Jews and Gentiles. Many had become entranced with His signs and wonders and failed to see that they were pointing to Jesus, failing to believe. But don’t mistake Jesus’ meaning in this statement. He is not judging the Galileans because they are desirous of divine signs. On the contrary, Jesus’ miracles were one of the primary and intentional means God used to bring people from all backgrounds to faith in Him. Jesus simply wanted these witnesses to move through the signs to Him - to follow Him and place their faith in Him as the promised Messiah.“Go…your son will live.” (v 50) Jesus knew that a miracle had happened; that Jesus himself had healed the centurion’s son. But would his father have faith to trust Jesus? Would he instead anxiously beg Jesus to make the day-long trek? Or even throw his authority around and command Jesus to come and heal his son in person? “The man believed what Jesus said to him and departed.” (v 50)Can you imagine how this father must have felt as he was traveling back home and was greeted by his servants who assured him that his son was alive? And when he heard that his son perked up at the very moment of his conversation with Jesus? He couldn’t wait to get home and tell his wife and son what Jesus had done for them. Because of his testimony, he and his entire household believed! An entire family changed. Can you imagine the ripple effects?Big Picture Questions for Today:* Think about the ripples that brought the gospel to you. How far can you trace back those ripples? How one person, perhaps even generations before you, heard the good news of Jesus, how it changed his or her life and how generations later, here you are, reading of where those ripples originated, more than 2000 years ago, in the Son of God, the promised Messiah, Jesus.Pray for the faith to consistently input small acts of compassion and kindness into your relationships, and while you will probably never see them, expect ripple effects. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 11My favorite fruit, hands down, is the peach. I don’t think it is solely because I’m a Georgia girl and Georgia is the Peach State. As a matter of fact, I imagine anyone reading this who is from South Carolina is groaning, “ Give me a break! South Carolina peaches are by far the superior fruit!” And I would have to agree. There is something in that South Carolina soil that makes it perfect to produce the highest quality peach.There is nothing quite like a sweet, juicy peach, with its distinct smell, texture and color. Each year in early summer I am on high alert for ripe peaches. When we lived in D.C. it was next to impossible to find a perfect peach. Occasionally the local market would carry peaches and I would get so excited. I would feel them and try to choose the ones that were not too firm but not too soft. Then I would get them home, wash one and take a big disappointing bite. Now that we are living back in the south, quality peaches are so much easier to find. Peach orchards line both sides of I-85, the interstate highway that runs through South Carolina, some of which you can actually pick your own! A peach picked at its peak is truly unparalleled, challenging the harvester to try and keep the sticky sweet juice in your mouth and not running down your arms to your elbows!How can you tell when peaches are ripe? Any experienced peach grower knows when peaches are ripe by their sweet aroma. You don’t even have to be within arms-reach of the fruit to know when the tree has ripe peaches ready to be picked. Especially on a warm sunny day, the enticing scent of ripe peaches will practically surround the peach tree, luring you in. Another clue to be on the look out for is color. A ripe peach will have put on some color and, most importantly, it will no longer have any green undertones. If a peach still has a greenish hint to its skin color, leave it on the tree for a few more days to ripen. If it is picked green, a peach will have a “green” or grainy taste to it and it will not be as sweet. Okay, now my mouth is watering for a juicy peach, but it’s early March!! I’ll have to wait at least four more months before this year’s harvest!Following Jesus’ providential meeting with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, His disciples return and they get into a conversation about the surrounding fields which were ripe for harvest. What does harvesting local wheat and barley fields have to do with Jesus talking with a disreputable woman. Let’s read and find out!Read John 4:27-42The barley harvest was one of the first harvests of the year. It preceded the wheat harvest by one or two months and was generally expected in early April. It was also one of the most widely grown crops in Israel and was a staple food, especially among the poor. Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman likely occurred around late spring (April/May), which aligns with a time of natural harvest in the region. Jesus specifically indicates the season by telling his disciples, “Don’t you say, ‘There are still four more months, and then comes the harvest’? Listen to what I’m telling you: Open your eyes and look at the fields, because they are ready for harvest.” (v 35)Now I don’t know much about farming, but I’m fairly certain that farmers can’t mess around during harvest time. There’s an urgency to getting those crops harvested. And unfortunately you can’t really get a head start, because the crops won’t be ready yet. But you also can’t wait too long or the crops will spoil. There is a narrow window of time to harvest those crops so the minute they show signs of ripening, it’s a race against time.Jesus tells His guys to pay attention to the signs of spiritual harvest, starting with this adulterous woman. And look at how she freely shares her faith simply because she’s overcome with Jesus - His notice of and engagement with her. Notice in verses 28-29 how she’s so excited that she leaves her full water jar at the well, runs back to town, and says to the very people she had previously spent her life trying to avoid, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” (v 29) Then verse 39 records how “Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony. So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.’” Similarly, when we step out in faith and share how Jesus has redeemed and transformed our lives and can change others as well, the Holy Spirit uses that in powerful ways. Let’s keep our eyes open for signs of ripening, for it is in those moments that we are privileged to be a small part of harvesting souls!Big Picture Questions for Today:* Think about your faith story, who you were before the Spirit of the Living God opened your eyes to see your sin and His gift of grace. How is your life different now?* Who you might be able to share your story with? Who has God put in your life that might be even the slightest bit open to talking about spiritual matters?Pray for two to three people who the Lord brings to mind who may not know Jesus and His gospel of grace and forgiveness. Begin praying for them every day, and ask the Spirit to open your eyes for openings to approach that conversation. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

I AM - The Light of the WorldYahoo! It is Sunday again and our second Feast Day!! On this Lord’s Day, enjoy worshiping with your church family, through songs and hymns, through the reading and teaching of God’s Word, through giving cheerfully, and enjoying the blessed gift of food, chocolate, social media, or anything you may have set aside for your Lenten promise.The Seven I AM’sEach Sunday of #LentenDaily 2026 we will focus on a specific I AM statement made by Jesus to His followers. Jesus’ I AM statements would have particular significance to the first-century Jewish listener. Just as God had revealed Himself to Moses as the “I AM” when calling him to return to Egypt and lead His people out of slavery, Jesus used the same words to describe Himself throughout His ministry, as recorded by John. More specifically, “I AM WHO I AM” (Hebrew: Ehyeh asher ehyeh) is a profound declaration from Exodus 3:14, where God reveals His name to Moses as the self-existent, eternal, and faithful Deliverer. It signifies that God is not dependent on anything else for existence and is present with His people. It represents an immutable, self-sufficient, and ever-present being. When “God replied to Moses, “‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.’” (Ex 3:14) He was revealing Himself as the eternal, invincible, covenant-keeping God that He was, is and always will be.Today we will take a look at the second of Jesus’ I AM claims, I AM the Light of the World.Read John 8:12-29One week from today, March 8, 2026, at 2 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, Daylight Saving Time officially begins! I can hardly wait! I look forward all winter to longer days, when we can go for walks after supper or even a boat ride. The cold darkness of winter that has kept us inside for months is almost over. But really, the shorter days and longer nights of winter aren’t the only forms of darkness that I dislike and try to avoid. And I imagine it’s the same for you. We can all acknowledge that we’re not strangers to the darkness. It permeates every day and every season. It settles on us through our conflicts, our diagnoses, our best intentions misunderstood, our hurt feelings. Maybe the darkness of winter feels harder because it’s a stark visual reflection of our sinful reality: a people wandering in darkness (Is 9:2), bumping into all manner of hurtful things and one another, afraid of never seeing light again.And while that image of our sin-soaked souls is important for us to see and sit with, that’s not the end of Isaiah’s observation and prophecy: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.” (Is 9:2-3) We see God fulfill and personify this prophecy through an everlasting image of redemption and hope in His Son, Jesus in the Gospel of John. “Jesus spoke to them again: ‘I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.’” (Jn 8:12)Perhaps a little bit of context would be helpful here: Jesus is speaking to a crowd that included a group of religious leaders. They are in the temple complex during the Feast of Tabernacles. The Jewish leaders have already been growing more and more combative because of the miracles people have seen and reported. Now Jesus gives them one more outrageous statement to debate, “I am the light of the world.” (v 12) Light was an especially important symbol in the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles because it signified the pillar of fire given to Israel during the Exodus and in the wilderness. It represented Yahweh’s presence with His people as He rescued them from captivity in Egypt. And here Jesus is saying that He Himself is the light given to God’s children, His very presence with them and illuminating the way to their eternal rescue. Amazing…His declaration of presence and rescue is for us as well. He is our light in this dark life and our eternal salvation, our stronghold in the face of all fear and dread. Let’s “walk in the light as he himself is in the light, having fellowship with one another, with the blood of Jesus cleansing us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)Lastly, please enjoy this catchy song by Ellie Holcomb, “Light’s Always Stronger.” Written by Ellie in 2018 for her Children’s EP, Sing: Creation Songs, I predict you’ll be singing or humming all week, “The light’s always stronger than the dark.”“Light’s Always Stronger” | Ellie Holcomb | OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEOJesus is the light of the worldHe’s the light of the worldAnd He shines brighter than the sunSo when we are lost in the nightWhen we’re lost in the nightWe have to remember the morning will come‘Cause the light is strongNothing can keep it from shiningWoah oh ohh, oh ohh, woah oh ohhEven here, here in the darkest nightNo matter whatNothing can keep it from shiningWoah oh ohh, oh ohh, woah oh ohhNo matter how scared we areThe light’s always strongerThe light’s always stronger than the darkOh ooh oh, oh ooh ohhOh ooh oh ooh, oh ooh ohhThere’s hope in our heartsIt’ll never stop shiningA hope in our heartsAnd it’s brighter than the lightningThere’s a hope in our heartsThat we’re gonna keep findingThe light of the worldHe is living inside us This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 10Since I was in middle school, I have experienced Vasovagal Syncope, where I will faint for seemingly no reason. Vasovagal syncope is a common, generally harmless, and temporary fainting episode usually caused by an overreaction of the nervous system to certain triggers, causing the heart rate to slow and blood vessels to dilate. This leads to a sudden drop in blood pressure and reduced blood flow to the brain, resulting in fainting. Common triggers for these episodes include intense emotions - fear, stress, shock - as well as surprising or intense pain, the sight of blood or needles, prolonged standing, heat, dehydration, or hunger. I have passed out following all of those triggers at one time or another, but dehydration is the number one trigger for me, as my body doesn’t naturally produce enough electrolytes to remain balanced. I need to supplement my liquid diet with sodium and citrus infused-water. If I go too long without water, I’m setting myself up for a fainting spell.We’ve all experienced thirst. A thirst that we try to satisfy with our favorite liquids - coffee, fruit juices, sodas, alcohol. And while those are fun to drink, they just can’t satisfy our deep need for clean, pure water; in fact, those liquids often just make us more thirsty for water. If we could only drink in a long draught of cool, clean water, we would be okay. This thirst for water is as ancient as humans roaming on earth, which was why wells were a basic necessity in ancient times. Much of the world was arid desert, with little to no water, making it deadly and uninhabitable. And where there’s no water, there’s no life. The first task that the early settlers of the Middle East prioritized was finding a water source and digging a well; otherwise, their families and herds were sure to perish.In today’s excerpt from John’s gospel, we’ll peek in on an encounter Jesus has with a woman at a rather historic well in Samaria. On this trip to the community well, this thirsty woman will get much more than she went for.Read John 4:1-26When Jesus heard that the baptisms of His listeners were becoming the main issue, rather than what He was actually preaching, He decided to move on from Judea and head back to Galilee, farther away from Jerusalem and those who wanted to distract the people from what He was emphasizing - The Kingdom of God Drawn Near! WhileJesus passed through Samaria because it was geographically the shortest route, the words John uses may also indicate that Jesus’ itinerary was subject to the sovereign and providential plan of God. Samaria was the usual route taken by travelers from Judea to Galilee, but strict Jews, in order to avoid defilement, could bypass Samaria by opting for a longer route that involved crossing the Jordan and traveling on the east side. It’s important to note that Jesus did not choose to go the long way around and avoid the Samaritans. He intentionally took this route, knowing full well how it looked to religious leaders and even some of His disciples.The Samaritans were a racially mixed group of partly Jewish and partly Gentile ancestry, disdained by both Jews and non-Jews. 2 Kings 17 describes the king of Assyria bringing foreign people to settle in Samaria in 722 B.C., in place of the Israelites that he had captured and taken to Assyria. Over time these Mesopotamian colonists had intermarried with Jews who had remained in the area. These Samaritans had their own version of the Pentateuch, their own temple on Mount Gerizim, and their own recounting of Israelite history.Jacob’s WellSo Jesus, worn out from His journey, sits down by Jacob’s well to rest around noon. When the sun is at its highest, a woman comes to draw water from the well. This isn’t the first time in Israel’s history that a man and a woman have met at a well. Abraham’s servant met Rebekah at a well in Nahor, outside Haran and brought her back to Canaan to marry Isaac. Then their son, Jacob, met his wife, Rachel, at that same well years later. When Moses had fled Egypt and his princely throne after murdering an Egyptian, he met his wife, Zipporah, and her sisters at a well in Midian.The story of Jesus meeting a woman at a well begins by following the same pattern as the stories of Isaac, Jacob, and Moses: Jesus journeys toward his hometown but passes through Samaria first. He then encounters a lone Samaritan woman at the well. John reminds us that it was “Jacob’s well” (v 6), further linking this story with the meeting of Jacob and Rachel. Jesus tells this woman that no matter how much water she drinks from this well, she’ll always thirst for more. Then He offers “living water” (v 10) that could quench her thirst forever. This isn’t well water Jesus is talking about, but God’s own life that would come through Jesus, to satisfy her deepest thirst. Jesus’ offer of living water is an allusion to the Eden paradigm, where water flowed from the middle of the garden to sustain the whole earth. (Gen 2:10-14) Jesus is offering her life-sustaining water in connection with Himself.As strange an image as this is for us to process, imagine how this woman felt. She was so thirsty…to be truly loved, seen, valued, forgiven. Somehow Jesus knew everything about her and was still offering her water that would “become a well of water springing up in her for eternal life.” (v 14) A well within her? A means to being satisfied, satiated, forever? How could this be? Finally she says, “‘I know the Messiah is coming (who is called Christ). When he comes, he will explain everything to us.’ Jesus told her, ‘I, the one speaking to you, am he.’” (vv 25-26)Bible Project founders, Tim Mackie and Jon Collins, provide an interesting extension of this strange image of drinking from a person. In their video, “Water of Life” they highlight a detail in the story of Jesus’ death on the cross that I had never seen before. After Jesus gives up His spirit and dies, a Roman soldier thrusts a spear into His side, and there’s blood, but also all this water flows out. Mackie explains that this image shows how Jesus’ death is a fountain of life. From Jesus, God’s own love, Who would die for His enemies, flows down and out into the world, quenching the thirst of all who come and receive.Big Picture Questions for Today:* Are you thirsty? Are you looking to something other than Jesus to satisfy your thirst to be known, seen, valued, forgiven?* What would it look like to soak in the Living Water that Jesus offers you today? Later in John’s gospel he quotes Jesus offering, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.” (Jn 7:37-38)Pray with the psalmist of Psalm 42, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, God. I thirst for God, the living God.” (v 1) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 9It was 1989. Dale and I were recently engaged and planning to marry the following spring. We had been invited to the wedding of friends from our church, First Baptist Atlanta. Both the bride and the groom were musicians, so I fully expected that the musical portion of the ceremony would be impressive. We climbed the front steps of the old historic church, ushers swung open the doors for us and down the center aisle we walked to find our seats in the almost filled to capacity sanctuary. Well, actually I don’t remember anything after we walked through the front doors, because all of my senses were on opulence overload. The sanctuary had been transformed into a rainforest, with greenery everywhere the eye could see. There was a full orchestra, not an ensemble or string quartet, but a full orchestra, to the right and left of the pulpit. And in the balcony was the Atlanta Boy Choir, young boys ages 8-15, dressed in their white robes with red sashes.Dale and I were in the process of planning our upcoming wedding and my father had given me a budget. (He knew I would spend as much and a little more than I had, so this was wisdom on his part.) I was confident that just the flowers and greenery for this wedding would have eaten up two to three times my entire budget! As we took our seats, I leaned over to Dale and whispered, “Can they afford all this?” I know, I know - I never should have said a word. It was none of my business how much their wedding cost, much less if they could afford it. But that judgement, comparison, perhaps even jealousy was top of mind as I witnessed the extravagant yet thoughtful components of the wedding ceremony.It wasn’t until later when talking with the groom’s best man we learned that the bride’s father had passed away decades before either of his daughters would marry. Before he died, he blessed both daughters with a very generous trust fund that was to be used specifically for their weddings. This couple couldn’t afford a wedding like this, but her father had spared no expense so that his daughter could have everything she wanted this big day to be. Even so, I imagine she would have traded every fern and musician for her dad to walk her down the aisle to her bridegroom waiting at the end of the aisle.Everything about that wedding communicated that this was special, unlike any I’d ever attended before. Yet I didn’t have the curiosity needed to consider what it all meant. And then the best friend of the groom shared details that brought it all into focus for me. My judgemental thoughts and jealousy decreased while compassionate thoughts and joy increased.In today’s reading we witness John the Baptizer once again engaging with his disciples and others regarding Jesus - his purpose, methods and popularity.Read John 3:22-36John the Baptist is doing his thing, baptizing folks in the Jordan Valley, specifically in an area known as Aenon, meaning “springs” or “fountains” in Greek. Across the river Jesus’ disciples were also administering the baptism of John, based on repentance and the desire for purification from sin. It was becoming visibly obvious to John’s disciples and everyone else that the crowds gathering around Jesus were getting larger by the day. John’s followers were understandably feeling a bit left out and perhaps even embarrassed for their leader, whose platform and influence seemed to be shrinking. To make sure John was okay, they just came right out and asked, “Rabbi, the one you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing - and everyone is going to him.” (v 26) John’s response was gold, “Guys, I appreciate your concern, but I’m the best man at this wedding, not the bridegroom.”Following a traditional christian wedding, during the reception and wedding feast, it is tradition that the best man shares a toast, a speech regarding his friend, so that everyone invited might know the groom better. Some of the guests might be part of the bride’s family and not be as familiar with the groom. The best man makes that connection for his friend, by sharing specific anecdotes that demonstrate the groom’s character and why he is a perfect match for his new bride. John the Baptist puts himself in this perspective when he says: “He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice.” (v 29)John is Jesus’ best man. His mission is to make the Messiah known to all the wedding guests, to all of Israel. The humility he shows in doing it is inspiring, as he declares himself unworthy to carry Jesus’ sandals in John 1:27 and then makes introductions of his students, Philip and Andrew, who leave John to follow the Lamb of God. (Jn 1:35-42) John’s joy is complete as he sees Jesus doing exactly what He came to earth to do.“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (v 30) The gospel writer John describes the Baptizer’s role in God’s redemption narrative clearly at the beginning of his writing, “There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. The true light that gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” (Jn 1:6-9) At this point in salvation history, now that the light has come, the “lamp” has done its work. Later in chapter 5, Jesus describes John as a burning and shining lamp: “John was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But I have a greater testimony than John’s because of the works that the Father has given me to accomplish. These very works I am doing testify about me that the Father has sent me.” (Jn 5:35-36)John represented the final Old Testament prophet, whose sole responsibility was to prepare God’s people for the Messiah, and was filled with joy to transfer the spotlight onto the New Covenant brought by and through Jesus. He was merely the best man, bringing the bride to her rightful husband.Big Picture Questions for Today:* Is there part of you that, like John’s disciples, feels sorry for him? The crowds were all following him until Jesus showed up.* Do you tend to compare yourself to others, becoming jealous when your brothers or sisters in Christ seem to be winning and you are just treading water?Pray and ask the Lord to give you a humble heart, eyes to see what He is doing and the desire to become less so that Jesus’ light can shine most brightly. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 8Happy Day 8 of #LentenDaily2026! If you have committed to fast from something during this season, you’ve made it through week one. How is it going? Any headaches from a lack of caffeine? Realizing how much time you have since fasting from social media and not quite sure how to fill it? If you are fasting from food during the day, are you finding yourself exhausted by 5pm and still have 4-5 hours before you can head to bed? Or maybe you’ve given up television and that bowl of ice cream that is your regular go-to activity in the evenings and don’t know what else to do, since it’s still winter and dark and gloomy outside.How are you resisting the temptation to just give up and go back to your regular routine? Have you thought about sneaking a quick Coca Cola in the afternoon, just so you can stay awake at work or while driving the kids around to their after school activities? Or maybe temptation strikes most intently in the dark, when you are alone. If you could just eat or do _______, you’d feel more peaceful and able to truly rest. Even as I’m writing, it is obvious to me that these are lies that we believe, convincing ourselves that we can find true rest and peace, true connection by engaging in the very thing we have committed to lay down. Are we criminals or forgiven if we break our Lenten Promise? Of course we are forgiven! But in those moments of weakness, we would be wise to be curious as to WHY we gave in. Why we convinced ourselves that the donuts or caffeine or social media scrolling would satisfy our search for peace and meaning? That somehow, the darkness is more preferable than the light.Today we read of a familiar interaction between Jesus and well respected Jewish leader, Nicodemus. Nic is intrigued by all that he has heard from and about Jesus and wants to know more. But he can’t risk coming in the daytime. It must be after dark.Read John 3:1-21Here we see Nicodemus for the first time. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin, and a respected religious leader. He came to Jesus under the cover of night, not because he was a criminal but because he was curious. He was seeking answers and truth. He was intrigued by Jesus’ teachings, but he was afraid to be seen with Him in the light of day for fear of what his fellow Pharisees might say. So, he chose the night to have a conversation, and Jesus graciously allowed it.When Nicodemus met Jesus, he said he believed He came from God as a teacher. Nicodemus believed this because no one could do the miracles Jesus was doing unless God was with him. Many of Nic’s fellow Pharisees also saw and heard of the first sign and the claims that Jesus was making regarding the temple, yet they did not come to Nicodemus’ conclusions. Yet, when Nicodemus saw the miracles he believed Jesus had come from God and was interested to learn more.It appears that Nicodemus had a soft heart and wanted to authentically serve the Lord. He may have struggled with similar self-righteous and proud sins the other Pharisees did and many of us do, but overall, deep in his heart, he wanted to follow the Lord. It seems that Jesus knew when He met Nicodemus that he was different. In today’s reading we observe a phenomenal conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus that would change Nic’s life forever. This conversation makes up some of the most quoted Scriptures that many of us have memorized today, specifically John 3:16-17:“For God so loved the world in this way:He gave his one and only Son,so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,but to save the world through him.”Jesus knew it was understanding these things that would free Nicodemus from living the life of a Pharisee. As we established earlier, Nic loved God, but still struggled like the other Pharisees to understand the Kingdom of God. These new ideas didn’t fit into their neatly organized and managed theology. Jesus told Nicodemus, “Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (v 3) Once Nic began to understand, he would need to come into the light. As Jesus concludes their conversation, “Anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.” (v 21) Come on Nic, come into the light.Big Picture Questions for Today:* Does fear hold you back from curiously engaging with the truth of the gospel message? Do you, at times, allow the opinions of others, or your fears of their opinions, dictate your faith?* How can you step out of the shadows and into the light of Jesus and His kingdom today, embracing your identity as a child of God and the one whom Jesus loves.Pray, and worship the One who spoke the light into existence, who separated the light from the darkness, who is Himself Light. Worship the One Who loved you so much that He sent Himself, through the person of His one and only Son, the Light that shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overtake or overshadow Him. Come into the Light, dear friend, and be fully enveloped in the Light of the World. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 7If you’ve been to Washington D.C. lately, or watched the news, you’ve seen massive cranes working on the White House grounds. Starting last September, construction crews began demolition of the East Wing of the White House complex. Why? The White House is getting a new ballroom, touted to be bigger and better than ever. President Trump’s plan for a massive addition to the existing East Wing will cost $400 million dollars and take 3-4 years to complete, but will include a 22,000 square foot ballroom with capacity to seat up to 1,000 guests.In today’s reading we watch as Jesus takes in the scene of the temple courts in Jerusalem. He is obviously displeased with how this specific space is being used, and proposes something unheard of: demolish the entire temple and He will raise it in three days! What in the world is he talking about? Is Jerusalem getting a new temple?Read John 2:13-25You may have noticed that John includes the story of Jesus cleaning house in the temple courts much earlier than his gospel contemporaries, who place this vignette much later, actually during the last week of His time in Jerusalem before His crucifixion. This first major confrontation with the Jewish leaders in John’s Gospel takes place on the occasion of Jesus’ entering the Jerusalem temple during the Jewish Passover. While the Synoptic Gospels record a second, later temple clearing, just prior to the crucifixion, it makes perfect sense that Jesus and His disciples would have observed the annual Passover in Jerusalem multiple times over His three-year ministry.So Jesus walks in through the Court of the Gentiles, the area outside the temple building proper, and can’t believe what He sees. This space was created specifically for non-Jews, who desired to worship God but were prohibited from entering the formal temple. Instead of an inclusive space for Gentiles to come and worship, it was a noisy, dirty marketplace, with moneychangers and vendors selling last minute sacrifices of oxen, sheep and doves. These merchants, as well as the money-changers, rendered a service to those who had traveled to Jerusalem from afar, enabling them to buy the animals on-site rather than having to carry them for long distances. By conducting their business in the temple complex, however, these individuals disrupted the worship of non-Jewish God-fearers, and thus obstructed the very purpose for which the temple existed, foretold through the prophet isaiah:“As for the foreigners who join themselves to the Lordto minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,and to become his servants—all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating itand who hold firmly to my covenant—I will bring them to my holy mountainand let them rejoice in my house of prayer.Their burnt offerings and sacrificeswill be acceptable on my altar,for my house will be called a house of prayerfor all nations.”This is the declaration of the Lord God,who gathers the dispersed of Israel:“I will gather to them still othersbesides those already gathered.”Isaiah 56:6-8What did He Say About Raising the Temple?After Jesus cracks the whip He made and drives the money changers and vendors out, the Jewish leaders are shocked and appalled and ask, “Who do you think you are?” Well, that’s not exactly what they asked. It was more like, “What sign will you show us for doing these things?” (v 18) In other words, “You’d better have some authority to behave in this way.” But Jesus cryptically replies, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.” (v 19)For heaven’s sake, who does this guy think he is? There is no way this temple, which took forty-six years to build and thousands of laborers, could be destroyed and then rebuilt in three days. This is crazy talk! He is ridiculous!A New Temple, and That’s Not All!While they didn’t make the connection until much later, after Jesus was raised from the dead, a lightbulb did go off in John’s and the other disciples’ heads. They “remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the statement Jesus had made.” (v 22) The claim that John makes in John 1:14, of “The Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us” begins to lay the foundation of Jesus being a New Temple, the true House of the Lord where His divine glory dwells. His statement to “tear down this temple” and He’d rebuild it in three marked the shift from the physical, temporary structure of the temple and the Ark of the Covenant to Jesus’ resurrected, eternal presence.As an extension of this, believers and the Church are considered the body of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit, God’s very presence living in us. The Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthian church, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (1 Corin 3:16) and later returns to this same idea but drills down even more, “Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body. (1 Corin 6:19-20) There is a New Temple, with room for all who believe in His Name and receive His gift of salvation - by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ Alone - Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Solus Christus.Big Picture Questions for Today:* If you are the temple of God, how are you making room for Him during this season of Lent? How are you glorifying Him with your body?Pray from Romans 6:3-5 “Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 6Ever heard the expression, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade?” Maybe you’ve lost a job, but instead of viewing it as complete rejection and certain disaster, you use the opportunity to reconsider your career path and try something new, even go back to school and start over. Or maybe your “plans” to be married and have two kids by age 30 haven’t materialized. You’re now a 35-year-old with no good prospects in sight, but instead of settling for a relationship that is less than stellar, you ask God to reveal His plan for your life. Lemons to lemonade, right? It’s easier said than done!This proverb “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” isn’t as old as you might think. It is understood to have been coined by the American writer Elbert Hubbard in the 1915 obituary he wrote of Marshall Pinckney Wilder, known as “The King of Jesters.” Wilder was one of the most successful vaudeville performers of his time and a favorite of the British royal family. Hubbard wrote that the actor achieved greatness despite the challenges of being born with dwarfism: “He picked up the lemons that fate had sent him and started a lemonade stand.” Later in the 1940s, inspirational speaker Dale Carnegie popularized the phrase in his book, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, and urged his readers to embrace optimism and resilience to turn challenges, hardships or misfortunes - the lemons - into something positive, productive or valuable - lemonade.In today’s reading we join Jesus and His friends at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. His mother Mary is also there and learns of a problem, a huge basket of lemons, that no amount of positive thinking will turn into lemonade! What will she do? Let’s read and find out!Read John 2:1-12Jesus’ First Miraculous SignTurning water into wine at the wedding in Cana was the first of Jesus’ miraculous signs, attesting to His identity as Messiah and the Son of God. John specifies that after this sign, Jesus’ disciples believed in him (v 11). Jesus did not do any miracles during his childhood or early manhood but lived as an ordinary Galilean man with his divine identity hidden. In each of the seven signs that John includes, the emphasis is on the way in which the “sign” reveals Jesus’ messianic character and on the exceptional and striking nature of the feat accomplished by Jesus—such as the large quantity and high quality of wine in our reading today. Later readings will include an official’s son healed from a long distance away by the sheer power of Jesus’ word (4:47–50), an invalid’s recovery from a 38-year-long ordeal (5:5), an incredibly large quantity of food produced by Jesus (6:13), a man’s recovery from lifelong blindness (9:1–2), and the raising of His dear friend, Lazarus, after four days dead in the tomb (11:17, 39). This miracle of turning water into wine demonstrated the glory of Jesus as the sovereign Creator and ruler of the material universe and also as the merciful God who provides abundantly for his people’s needs.Mary didn’t know how Jesus would help to solve this couple’s humiliating mistake of not having enough wine for their wedding guests, but trusted that He was the only One who could. And He delivered more than she, the bridegroom or the headwaiter could have possibly imagined. “Everyone sets out the fine wine first, then, after people are drunk, the inferior. But you have kept the fine wine until now.” (v 10) Lemons to lemonade!Bible teacher and speaker, Beth Moore, wrote in her bible study Breaking Free, “God will sometimes allow things to get bad enough that we will be forced to look up. Victory always begins with a cry for help. When we come to the end of ourselves and cry out for help, amazing things will happen.”Big Picture Questions for Today:* Jesus’ mother, Mary, was in a sour situation. Poor planning had jeopardized a beautiful celebration of love. This was an insurmountable problem that no one else could solve. Yet Jesus had not revealed His true power and identity to this point. How did Mary know to ask Jesus for help? Why do you think He helped her?* What about you? How do you handle the difficult seasons in your life? How we choose to move through the situations of our lives reflects in whom or what we have put our trust. Our response impacts not only us but those around us. Let’s not sour anyone towards God, the world does that enough all on its own.Pray Ephesians 3:19-21 today, “Father may we know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to You who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— to You be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”“Our God,” by Chris TomlinOur God - Chris Tomlin (with lyrics) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 5I came home one day to find long legs sticking out from under our son’s truck. “What are you doing?” I asked. “Changing the oil,” was his reply. It’s important to note that neither Dale nor I are handy when it comes to cars. Whenever something happens, or even just regular maintenance needs to happen, we take our vehicles to the service department at the dealership. I have been a AAA member for 30+ years. When my car is acting up, or I’ve once again run out of gas, I don’t call Dale. I call AAA. So you can imagine my surprise when I heard that Andrew was doing something I would never begin to attempt and that neither his father nor I had taught him to do. My next question was, “How in the world did you learn to change oil?” His reply? “I YouTubed it.”Our youngest son has always known how to do things (like changing the oil in a car) that we didn’t teach him and he didn’t read about in a book. We are regularly impressed by his practical knowledge. How does he seem to “just know” these things? He can learn anything just by watching someone else do it and explain the steps. His dad says he is a Suma Cum Laude graduate of YouTube University!!In our reading today, a new friend of Jesus’ is impressed by His knowledge. It seems that Jesus has supernatural abilities and this friend wonders out loud how someone from Nazareth could possibly know such things. Jesus responds, “This is nothing! Just you wait!”Read John 1:43-51Nazareth was an insignificant, even despised, town. Even fellow Galileans looked down on Nazareth, as is evident in the response of Nathanael when Philip told him about finding the Messiah, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (v 46) Nathanael could not believe that the promised Savior would come from “that neck of the woods.” And if you are confused, Nathanael is likely the same person as Bartholomew, who is listed among Jesus’ twelve disciples in the Synoptic Gospels. Bartholomew actually means “son of Tolmai,” so his full name would have been Nathanael, son of Tolmai.If Nathanael had been a better student of the Hebrew Scriptures, or the Old Testament, he would not have been so surprised that the Messiah would come from Nazareth. The prophet Isaiah wrote that the Messiah would have “no form or majesty” and would be “despised and rejected by men.” (Is 53:1-3) His upbringing in Nazareth, therefore, was one of the ways in which Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled. The Messiah, who would be despised by the majority of His own people, began life as a citizen of a town other Galileans made fun of.While Nathanael found it difficult to believe that the Messiah could actually come from Nazareth, he agreed to go with Philip to see for himself. Jesus greets the men by addressing Nathanael as “truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” (v 47). Jesus saw no ulterior motives in Nathanael’s visitation. Nathanael was coming to figure out who Jesus was and whether Philip was right about Him, and he was not hiding that fact from others.“How Do You Know Me?”Nathanael was surprised that Jesus could see the truth of his intentions, for how could an ordinary man see into another’s heart? But Jesus then offered further proof that He was no ordinary man by telling Nathanael, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree tree, I saw you.” (v 48) It is not exactly clear what Jesus meant by this statement. R.C. Sproul suggests that there are two possible meanings. Jesus could have just seen Nathanael sitting in the shade of a literal fig tree. But it could also be that Jesus meant that he saw Nathanael sitting at his home, for ancient Jews sometimes used the term “fig tree” as a metaphor for a person’s house. Either way, Nathanael recognized that Jesus saw something about him that required supernatural knowledge because Jesus had never met him before. Thus, Nathanael recognized Jesus as the Son of God and King of Israel, the One invested with divine authority to rule and reign as Messiah when he proclaimed, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel. “(v 49).As great a sign as supernatural insight was, Jesus’ response to Nathanael was that he would yet see something greater, when he would see “heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” (vv 50–51). Here Jesus shares a clear allusion to Jewish patriarch Jacob’s dream of a ladder or staircase joining earth and heaven (Gen 28:10-22). Jesus was telling Nathanael that He is the link between earth and heaven. If a person is to ascend to heaven and attain salvation he must do it through Him! Nathanael witnessed Jesus’ display of supernatural knowledge, which was no doubt incredible. But Jesus’ reply, that He, Jesus the Messiah, is actually, the staircase to heaven, blew Nathanael away. “This is nothing! Just you wait!”Big Picture Questions for Today:* Nathanael quickly concluded that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah, because of His ability to see beyond the obvious and natural. How about you? When you hear of supernatural happenings or even experience them yourself, do you credit God or fate/coincidence/luck?* Jesus’ humble origins are one of the clearest indications that His kingdom is not of this world. He came in humility, showing us that God’s view of greatness is in many ways different from what the world tells us is great. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” How do you measure greatness? By the world’s standards - accomplishment, net worth, physical strength? Or by God’s standards, who “has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:27)?Pray and thank God for the continuity of the gospel of grace woven through scripture; the beautiful picture of Jesus being that staircase to heaven that Jacob saw in his dream thousands of years before. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Sunday, February 22, 2026I AM - The Bread of LifeYahoo! It is Sunday! And our first Feast Day!! On this Lord’s Day, enjoy worshiping with your church family, through songs and hymns, through the reading and teaching of God’s Word, through giving cheerfully, and enjoying the blessed gift of food and anything else you’ve been fasting from.The Seven I AM’sEach Sunday of #LentenDaily2026 we will focus on a specific I AM statement made by Jesus to His followers. Jesus’ I AM statements would have particular significance to the first-century Jewish listener. Just as God had revealed Himself to Moses as the “I AM” when calling him to return to Egypt and lead His people out of slavery, Jesus used the same words to describe Himself throughout His ministry, as recorded by John. More specifically, “I AM WHO I AM” (Hebrew: Ehyeh asher ehyeh) is a profound declaration from Exodus 3:14, where God reveals His name to Moses as the self-existent, eternal, and faithful Deliverer. It signifies that God is not dependent on anything else for existence and is present with His people. It represents an immutable, self-sufficient, and ever-present being. When “God replied to Moses, “‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.’” (Ex 3:14) He was revealing Himself as the eternal, invincible, covenant-keeping God that He was, is and always will be.Today we will take a look at the first of Jesus’ I AM claims, I AM the Bread of Life.Read John 6:22-59Chapter 6 of John is all about bread. Having recently fed a crowd of 5,000+ people who had come to hear Jesus teach and observe Him healing the sick, Jesus continues using bread that fills their bellies to make a point about belief. In fact, Jesus is actually addressing the matter of spiritual hunger throughout the entire chapter. That’s important for us to understand. Jesus has been building a case for this claim, “I AM the Bread of Life.” (v 35) through providing for the crowd’s physical hunger from five barley loaves and two fish, with baskets of leftovers besides. Wanting to see that trick again, or perhaps because they were hungry to experience more of Jesus and His beautifully strange teachings, the crowd gathered quickly around Him.They thought they understood bread from heaven. Their ancestors were given manna daily for around 40 years in the wilderness. Every morning they would walk outside and there it would be. It was a practice of trusting that God would supply all of their needs. But now Jesus says, “The bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (v 33) and when His listeners ask Him for this magical bread, He says, “I AM the Bread of Life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry…” (v 34) They have no idea how hungry they are for Jesus.In his sermon on The Bread of Life, Alistair Begg suggests that:“Spiritual hunger is not unique to a few individuals that choose to study their Bibles every so often. Spiritual hunger is a reality for every person in the whole world. It is as much a reality as is physical hunger. And the reason we know that is because God made us for himself. We can’t live by bread alone but only by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. So whether people understand it or not, the deep-seated longings of a life, of a heart, the positioning of ourselves to try and make sense of our existence, is ultimately tied to the fact of our spiritual hunger.”*Finally Jesus adds a nonsensical addition to His claims of being the Living Bread that came down from heaven, “The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (v 51) at which point many listening began to question Jesus’ mental health and ultimately decide to stop following Him. The I AM of the Old Testament was right in front of them, offering much more than full bellies; spiritual refreshment that would never grow cold or run out.Similarly, the I AM of the Gospel According to John is right in front of us, in the form of His living and active Word (our Bibles) offering us the same. When we find ourselves having gone a day without food during our Lenten fast, we don’t feel guilty because we have broken our promise; quite the opposite, we feel hungry. The same is true when we go without feasting on God’s Word. We tend to feel guilty, but that isn’t primary. We are simply hungry. Hungry to be spiritually full and satisfied, fed by our Savior, Jesus, and His incredible sacrifice on our behalf.Lastly, enjoy this beautiful song entitled Living Bread, written and recorded by Steadfast Worship, a group of friends, musicians, servants, and Catholic worship leaders, based in the Archdiocese of Toronto.Living Bread | Official Lyric Video | Steadfast WorshipLiving Bread, by Steadfast Music (2021)You are the Living BreadYou have done all You said You wouldWater to wine, the branches and vinesAnd You have not failed us yetOut of the grave You roseA fixture of hope for us to findA seed to be sown, a name to be knownFor now and for all of timeLiving Bread of Heaven, You are still here waitingOffered in all You are and the cross You carryAll that we seek is in Your handsLifting our hearts, hallelujahOut of the grave You roseA fixture of hope for us to findA seed to be sown, a name to be knownFor now and for all of timeLiving Bread of Heaven, You are still here waitingOffered in all You are and the cross You carryAll that we seek is in Your handsLifting our hearts, hallelujahLiving Bread of Heaven, there is life that You bringPoured out for Your people, of Your mercy we singThere is only one thing to doLifting Your name, hallelujahJesus, You are all that we needYour name brings us home*Alistair Begg, “The Bread of Life” (December 3, 2023). Truth for Life: The Bible Teaching Ministry of Alistair Begg. (https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/bread-heaven/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 4Hook (1/8) Movie CLIP - There You Are, Peter! (1991) HDIn the 1991 film Hook, directed by Steven Spielberg, a workaholic, middle-aged lawyer named Peter Banning (played by Robin Williams) —who has forgotten his past as Peter Pan—must return to Neverland to rescue his children from his nemesis, Captain James Hook. In Peter’s absence, the Lost Boys experienced a void in leadership and nursed their hurt and anger that Peter had chosen to leave them and “grow up.” Peter reunites with the Lost Boys, now led by Rufio, but he is practically unrecognizable to them. He’s gotten old and isn’t the strong and clever Peter they remembered him to be. In a most-touching scene, the youngest Lost Boy, Pockets, touches Peter’s face and famously proclaims, “Oh, there you are, Peter!” He was in there all along. It just took Pockets’ eyes of curiosity and trust to see through to the real Peter Pan.In today’s reading we take a peek into John the Baptist’s mind as he looks at Someone he’s known all of his life, yet sees Him as someone he’s never known!Read John 1:29-42We don’t read of the cousins, John and Jesus, hanging out as they grew up, but I like to imagine that when Mary and Joseph would come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish high holy days, perhaps the two boys would walk or run together, maybe even debate the Torah, and look forward to the next “family reunion.” They were special, both born for important, eternally significant work.So imagine John’s amazement, when one day after he had testified to all that he wasn’t and hinted that the One they’d been waiting was close by, and was back to the tasks at hand - calling people to repentance, because the Messiah was on His way, and baptizing - he looks up and there is Jesus, his cousin, coming towards him! Except that he isn’t seeing the Jesus that he grew up and played with. Instead the Baptizer looks up and exclaims, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (v 29) John’s eyes were opened by the Holy Spirit to see who Jesus really was - the promised Messiah!!Lambs were important animals for the Jews. Sacrificial lambs historically served as crucial, symbolic substitutes beginning the night before the Hebrew slaves were rescued from Egypt. The blood from the spotless, unblemished lamb was to be painted along doorposts of each Hebrew family’s home to ensure that the Angel of Death would “Pass Over” them and not take their firstborn son. This would become an important element of the Passover Seder each year, to remind the people of the blood sacrifice of an innocent as a requirement to cover and atone for sin. In the Old Testament, lambs were sacrificed as a temporary, repeated payment for sin, in the tabernacle and then the temple in Jerusalem, with worshipers symbolically placing their hands on the animal to transfer guilt. Sacrificial lambs had to be unblemished, often raised by specialized shepherds near Bethlehem and kept outside for a year to ensure they remained suitable for the Temple. So when the Baptizer saw Jesus and called Him, “The Lamb of God,” he was referring to the unending need for the spotless lambs. God Himself had provided the Lamb, who would become the ultimate and final sacrifice for the sin of the world.Look, the Lamb of God!Apparently, this was John the Baptist’s new name for Jesus, because the next day, while he was standing with two of his students, most likely Andrew and the author John, and Jesus was passing by, he again proclaimed, “Look the Lamb of God!” (v 35) jumpstarting the collection of Jesus’ own team of disciples who would travel and minister with Him for the next three years. After engaging with Jesus for the entire day, Andrew found his brother, Simon, and shared the incredible news, “We have found the Messiah.” (v 41) When Jesus saw Simon, He instantly knew him and gave him a new name as well - Cephas, translated “Peter” and meaning “rock.” Okay…Jesus, could you elaborate a bit? At this point we don’t have any evidence of Peter’s character, but Jesus knew him.Perhaps Jesus changed Simon’s name, because He wanted the nickname to be a perpetual reminder to him about who he should be. And from that point on, whatever Jesus called him sent him a subtle message. If He called him Simon, He was signaling him that he was acting like his old self and required correction. If He called him Rock, He was commending him for acting the way he ought to be acting. From then on, the Lord could gently chide or commend him with just one word. The most obvious example of this in John’s gospel follows Peter’s denial of even knowing Jesus and after the resurrection when Jesus asks, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” (John 21:15) It’s as if Jesus takes Peter’s face in His hands, looks deeply into his eyes and says, “There you are, Peter.”Big Picture Question for Today:* Names are obviously important to God - His own and the names He gives to His children. How do the different names for Jesus we have read so far in John fill out more richly your understanding of Him?* The Word of God* Only Son from the Father* The Lamb of GodPray, for the Lord to give you eyes to see Him for Who He is in all of His fullness. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 3You set an alarm to remind you when the tickets for an event where your favorite musical artist or comedian would be performing opens up. You jump onto your computer to get in the electronic line to purchase tickets and hit “refresh” multiple times when suddenly you’re in! You secure floor seats for you and your three best friends, send them excited texts to save the date and start making travel plans. And then you wait…and wait…and wait.Until finally the weekend arrives. You’re dressed up, have enjoyed a delicious meal beforehand, laughing and talking expectantly with your friends of all that tonight’s show will mean. You find your seats, the house lights lower and an entertainer you’re unfamiliar with is introduced, takes the stage and begins his act.At first you find yourself impatient with the opening performer. He isn’t who you paid good money to see. His name isn’t even on the ticket. Is the headliner even there? But eventually you find yourself swaying to his baritone voice and lyrics and lose all track of time. Perhaps you even comment to one of your friends, “I could listen to this guy all night!”Today we are introduced to Jesus’ opener, his cousin John the Baptizer. When asked who he is by Jewish priests and Levites sent from Jerusalem, he replies, “I’m just the opener, getting this crowd ready for the main event.”Read John 1:19-28Word had gotten back to the religious leaders in Jerusalem that a wild-haired man who wore camel’s hair clothes and ate locusts for snacks had gained a following amongst the Jewish commoners in Judea and along the Jordan River. He was even baptizing people! No one knew of his credentials, although some had heard that he was the only son of priest Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, born to them in old age. It seemed as though this rugged preacher appeared out of nowhere, but crowds were gathering around, hanging on his every word.A group of leading Pharisees, experts in the understanding and observance of the Torah, dispatched priests and Levites to the Jordan to investigate the matter and most likely, shut the show down. When there was a break in the line of those desiring baptism by John, they asked, “Who are you?” John did not share his pedigree or the miraculous story of his birth, but instead denied being the Messiah, the Anointed, the Christ. “Okay, then what?” they asked, “Elijah?” Elijah never died, but was taken up to heaven by a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11) and was expected to return “before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes, turning the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers.” (Malachi 4:5-6) Though the Baptist resembled Elijah in his rugged lifestyle he emphatically denied that he himself was Elijah (though Jesus, understanding more about this than John, saw John as fulfilling the prophecy about Elijah and said as much in Matthew 11). John lastly denied being the Prophet Moses had spoken of in Deuteronomy 18.Finally, frustrated by his stonewalling, the spies demanded, “Who are you, then?” (v 22) They needed something to take back to their supervisors and so far, John’s testimony had no substance. It was then that John testified, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord - just as Isaiah the prophet said.” (v 23) What he didn’t say was what comes next in Isaiah 40, “And the glory of the LORD will appear, and all humanity together will see it, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Is 40:5) The glory of the LORD is a technical term for God’s manifest presence with his covenant people. It was seen in the cloud in the wilderness (Ex 16:7, 10); it moved in to “fill” the tabernacle (Ex 40:34–35) and then the temple (1 Kings 8:11), where the worshipers could actually see it as smoke. At times God’s glorified presence was so thick the priests were unable to see to complete their duties in the temple. And now the gospel writer John asserts that this glory, the glory of the One and Only, was present in Jesus!We learn more about John the Baptizer and the One he is opening for by what he doesn’t say than what he does. His testimony is clear: “The main act is in the green room, waiting to come on. I’m just getting the crowd ready. Pay attention so you don’t miss it!”Big Picture Questions for Today:* What about your testimony? What is your eyewitness account of what God has done in your life?* Christian artist Terrian describes her testimony in the song by the same name, as hard to believe, even hard to receive the provision of life and love that God has provided. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ and have been saved by His sacrificial death on the cross, you are a living, breathing, walking testimony: Living proof of what God has done.* Today, look for the ways that the Lord has provided for, protected and empowered you, becoming your courage, your joy and your peace. Then look for an opportunity to share, “Look what the Lord has done…”Pray and thank God for all that He has done for you. Ask Him to help you not miss Jesus in all of the busyness of your day.Terrian - Testimony This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Day 2You text your 18-year-old son: Can you pick up some coffee creamer on your way home?He instantly replies: BetYou hope that means “Yes, I’m happy to pick up some coffee creamer” but worry that he won’t buy the brand you prefer so you text: Please get Chobani’s Oatmilk Salted Caramel Creamer. It is like manna from heaven.He instantly replies: WordWhat in the world? Is he confused about one of the words in my text? Is he agreeing that Chobani’s Salted Caramel Creamer is the best creamer on the market today? Or is he simply acknowledging that he has received my request and will get it done? And why doesn’t he use punctuation? That would at least give me a clue as to what “word” means!According to the Urban Dictionary, “Word” is a versatile slang term, originating from 1970s/80s hip-hop culture, used primarily to signify agreement, acknowledgement, or approval. Similar to “true,” “exactly,” or “I hear you,” “word” acts as a quick, often casual response to confirm understanding, show disbelief when followed by a question mark, or express that a statement is “cool.”In our first reading from John’s gospel today, we are introduced to “The Word.” We’ll need to look at context clues to figure out what or who “The Word” is.Read John 1:1-18“Word.” What do I mean when I say that following hearing or reading a passage like John 1:1-18? And honestly, that’s not how I usually respond to the hearing of God’s Word. I might say, “Speak it!” or “Preach!” but the meaning is the same. I’m affirming, agreeing with what I’ve heard. I’ve received and engaged with it and want more. You may be familiar with the phrases “The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.” This liturgical call and response has been a part of many denominations’ practice following the reading of scripture in the Sunday gathering. The response “Thanks be to God” in Latin: Deo gratias is rooted in 1 Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” and serves as an affirmation that the congregation has heard, received, and believes the scripture read.The lyrics of verse one from our Lenten hymn, “What a Wonderful Name,” poetically proclaim:You were the Word at the beginningOne with God the Lord Most HighYour hidden glory in creationNow revealed in You our ChristJohn’s gospel opens by presenting Jesus as God’s Word, echoing Genesis where God creates the world through speech. Genesis 1:1 proclaims, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” How did the Triune God create? He spoke it into existence! He said, “Let there be light, let there be an expanse between the waters, let the waters swarm with living living creatures and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” (Gen 1:3, 6,and 20) After creation fell into chaos through human disobedience, the world needed renewal. So God spoke again—but this time, his Word took human form as Jesus.John’s prologue mirrors Genesis 1, as he connects the Word that spoke everything into existence, beginning with light to pierce through the darkness and followed by speaking life into all of creation. That same Word, who was with God and was God “became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (v 14) The same Word who is the Creator came to earth, condescended and took on our humanity, displaying the fullness of God’s glory, His presence, in human form. His cousin, John the Baptist, confirms Jesus’ eternal existence when he describes Him as “The one coming after me ranks ahead of me, because He existed before me.” (v 15)Grace Upon Grace From His FullnessJohn then writes, “Indeed we have all received grace upon grace from His fullness.” (v 16) The Amplified Bible illustrates this concept beautifully, “For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift].” (v 16) When I read “the superabundance of His grace and truth” during my study of this passage, I experienced a kind of Holy Spirit drenching. I felt some measure of what the Word really carries—the fullness of Christ. Why did this fullness have such an impact on me—and why is it still in this moment affecting me? I believe it is in large part because the One from whose fullness I am being drenched with grace is the Word that was with God and was God. Christ’s fullness is the fullness of God—a divine and infinite fullness, impossible to deplete. His fullness is an accessible fullness - He became flesh and dwelt among us! His fullness is glorious, mediated to me not just from God but through God. He didn’t send an angel but His only Son to deliver His fullness. Lastly, this fullness is soaked in grace and truth, spiritual blessing that will not drown but fill me to overflowing, based on the solid-rock truth of God’s promise of redemption becoming reality.For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ, and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. Colossians 2:9-10Word.Big Picture Questions for Today:* Consider how you respond to the hearing of God’s Word. Are you responding in a way that demonstrates you agree and want to hear more?* Specifically name some of the graces or spiritual blessings you have received through Jesus’ fullness. Take some time today to allow yourself to be drenched in this superabundance of grace, truth and presence.Pray and thank God for choosing to express His great love for us by becoming flesh and dwelling among us. Jesus, we are overwhelmed by your willingness to show us, to reveal to us, the glory of God. Give us courage to sit in that superabundance today. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Welcome to Day 1 of the Lenten Season, also known as Ash Wednesday. As you head to work or school today, you may notice people walking down the street with a smudge of what looks like dirt on their forehead. Now, before you act on the urge to stare, or even help them out by saying, “Um, you’ve got a little something on your forehead,” read on to learn why people all over the world commemorate Ash Wednesday in this way.Read Genesis 3:1-19In Genesis 2:15 we read that “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” Because this was before Adam and Eve sinned, we must conclude that the tending and protecting the garden that God assigned to Adam was good work. It was important and life-giving.When Adam and Eve sinned, they were disciplined in very specific ways. God’s punishment of Adam involved his relationship with the very ground from which he was formed. The idea of work itself was not the consequence of Adam’s sin, but rather the hardship and frustration that would accompany his labor. By the sweat of his brow, Adam (and by the way, all of his descendants as well) would work hard to grow food from the ground, but would be thwarted by the thorns and thistles it would also bring forth. This never-ending battle with the land and weather would plague Adam until he passed on and his body returned to dust.Why are Ashes used on Ash Wednesday?Ever heard of the phrase “sackcloth and ashes?” There is a tradition of donning ashes as a sign of penitence or great sorrow that predates Jesus, Easter, and certainly Lent. In the Old Testament, Job mourns his many losses and repents “in dust and ashes.” There are other associations of ashes and repentance in Esther, Samuel, Isaiah and Jeremiah.Why is Ash Wednesday called Ash Wednesday?In the 600s, Pope Gregory the Great officially moved the beginning of the Lenten season to a Wednesday, now called Ash Wednesday, to secure the exact number of 40 days in Lent—not counting Sundays, which were feast days. As Christians came to the church to begin the Lenten season, Gregory marked their foreheads with ashes, reminding them of the biblical symbol of repentance (sackcloth and ashes) and their own mortality: “You are dust, and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19)The ashes were collected after the burning of palm branches (or crosses made from Palm leaves) from the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebrations. In some churches today, the ashes are used to draw a cross on the head of people to mark the beginning of their Lenten fast. The drawing of a cross is often done while repeating the words “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” (Mark 1:15) Full disclosure…by the 11th century, the practice was widespread throughout the Catholic Church — until Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer, threw the practice out in the 16th century because it was not biblically based.Introduction - Life in His Name: The I AM of the Gospel According to JohnThe fourth and final written account of Jesus’ time on earth, the Gospel according to John is unique from the previous three accounts. The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke are synoptic, from the Greek words syn “together” and opsis “seeing” meaning “seen together “or “a shared view.” These narratives recount many common miracles, teachings and parables and follow a similar timeline of Jesus’ life and ministry, while over ninety percent of the material in John’s Gospel is unique.It is most likely that the writer was the disciple John, brother of James and son of Zebedee. A few scholars question this and have suggested that it was a different John, known as John the Elder, who authored this piece as well as the the epistles of John and the book of Revelation. Regardless of which John was the author, (and I see more than enough evidence that it was, in fact, the Apostle John) he was a gifted and creative writer, confident in his relationship with Jesus. He refers to himself throughout his writings as “the one Jesus loved.” ((John 13:23) There is an intimacy between John and Jesus that is so precious. But his account isn’t simply emotional journal entries. John’s purpose statement for this gospel account is clearly stated in John 20:30-31: “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in the book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John’s deep desire was to reach unbelievers, primarily people in the larger Greco-Roman world in Ephesus and beyond, with this message of the good news of Jesus Christ.The Number Seven in John’s GospelNumbers are important in the Bible. We learned of the intentional use of the number 40 in Monday’s devotion. Throughout Scripture, the number seven signifies divine perfection, completion and spiritual fullness. It symbolizes God’s finished work, seen in the seven days of Creation (ending in Sabbath rest) and throughout Revelation, indicating the total, perfect nature of God’s plans. John masterfully employs this meaningful number as a literary device in his writing. Specifically in his gospel, John groups events and statements into sevens. There are seven signs or miracles he includes. These are certainly not the only miracles Jesus performed during His ministry. We know from the synoptic gospels that there were many other miracles John doesn’t mention. He only mentions seven…six of them unique to his gospel account. His decision to cap the miracles at seven is calculated (pun intended!).Another important example that we will highlight during our Lenten study is the seven times that John records Jesus describing Himself as the “I AM.”* In John 6:35 - I am the bread of life* In John 8:12 - I am the light of the world* In John 10:7 - I am the door of the sheep* In John 11:17 - I am the resurrection and the life* In John 14:6 - I am the way, the truth and the life* In John 15:1 - I am the true VineJesus’ I AM statements would have particular significance to the first-century Jewish listener. Just as God had revealed Himself to Moses with a resounding “I AM.” (Exodus 3:14 - God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.”). Jesus used the same words to describe Himself throughout His ministry, as recorded by John. On each of the seven Sundays of #LentenDaily 2026 we will focus on a specific I AM statement made by Jesus to His followers. I can’t wait to get started!Big Picture Questions for Today:* “Why are we even learning about this? We’re not Catholic!!” you might ask. (Unless you are Catholic:) There are a couple of reasons:* To place in proper perspective the great cost that Jesus willingly paid to rescue and redeem us, and present us holy and blameless before God the Father.* To remind ourselves of our position in Christ: “Apart from Him, I can do nothing. Apart from Him, I would have no hope.”* What are you most excited to learn about Jesus’ time on earth through gospel writer John?Pray for the Lord to give you a proper view of your sin that drove Jesus to the cross, and thank Him for His sacrifice. Ask Him for eyes to see and ears to hear what He has for you through John’s gospel this Lenten season. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

February 17, 2026“Mardi Gras” is French for “Fat Tuesday.” The day is also called Pancake Tuesday, which is why some churches will still host pancake suppers tonight. In New Orleans, Brazil, Quebec, the Cayman Islands, and other countries that celebrate “Carnival,” there are parades throughout the season that kicks off on January 6, with the Day of Epiphany and lasts until Fat Tuesday.While Mardi Gras is meant as a day to reflect on the things you need to repent from during Lent, it has become a day to indulge in all the stuff you’re giving up for Lent, or maybe not giving up. In fact, “Carnival” itself means “farewell to the flesh” when you take its Latin roots, so for many it’s all about indulging one last time before Easter.Gold, Green and Purple BeadsThe traditional colors of Mardi Gras are purple, green, and gold. These are said to have been chosen in 1892, when the Rex (Royal) Parade in downtown New Orleans inaugurated the theme “Symbolism of Colors” and gave the colors these meanings:Purple - JusticeGreen - FaithGold - PowerBeads of these colors are thrown from dancers, actors and politicians on parade floats as they ride through downtown streets. But the color purple has a much richer meaning as we experience the Lenten season that isn’t just fun and games.The Color PurpleWhen you think of the color purple, what images come to mind? Jellybeans? Easter eggs? Superhero or princess capes? The strongest color in the light spectrum, purple is simply pretty. When I see purple pansies, violets or hyacinths blooming, it brings a smile to my face. The color has also come to symbolize wealth, power and royalty because in antiquity purple dye was very expensive. In a later devotion, I’ll unpack the origins of purple dye for you, when we read of the purple robe placed on Jesus after His brutal scourging and prior to His crucifixion.For now, I simply want you to keep an eye out for the color purple throughout this Lenten season, whether in the vestments worn by some churches’ priests, the lovely perennial Lenten Roses that bloom in early spring, or crosses on hillsides and inside churches, draped with purple cloth.Displayed during Advent and Lenten seasons, the color purple has come to reflect sorrow and suffering; sorrow as the faithful awaited the arrival of the Savior in the birth of Jesus and suffering to mark His 40 days in the desert.King’s CakeAnd now, back to the celebration of Fat Tuesday. Where there’s a party, there is usually cake! Mardi Gras is no exception, but the traditional “King’s Cake” can be served any or every day from January 6 (Day of Epiphany) to Fat Tuesday. The name is derived from the Three Wise Men, who followed a special star from their home in the Far East, all the way to Bethlehem, and brought royal gifts for Jesus.A King’s Cake is basically sensory overload, but more specifically it is made of a rich, brioche dough and a wide array of fillings, such as cinnamon, chocolate, and/or cream cheese. The rainbow magic is found in the glaze and sprinkles, in bright hues of purple, green and gold, of course.Hidden and baked inside the batter is traditionally a plastic baby figurine. Now before you start thinking this all sounds a bit cannibalistic, remember that a King’s Cake is often first baked on King’s Day/Day of Epiphany, so the figurine represents Baby Jesus. Still not convinced it is okay? Maybe grossed out even more? No pressure! I have heard that for large Catholic families, whoever receives the Baby Jesus in their cake slice is simply responsible for bringing the King’s Cake the following year.Preparing for TomorrowAs you pray and prepare to enter into the season of Lent tomorrow, consider the following, especially if you are feeling called to fast: christians around the world observe Lent in many ways. Many from more orthodox and traditional denominations will still observe the fast strictly, beginning with the wearing of ashes on Ash Wednesday and abstinence of meat, fish, eggs and fats until Easter Sunday. Others will choose to give up just one item for Lent, more commonly a ‘luxury’ such as chocolate, meat or alcohol. It is also becoming increasingly common for people to give up other things in order to refocus their faith during this time; such as watching TV, going to the gym, even social media.Big Picture Question for Today:* Are there any assumptions you have had regarding Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras that were challenged in today’s history lesson?Regardless of how you choose to observe this season, pray for God to spur you to spend more time with Him, in prayer, in His Word and in spiritual conversations with those around you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

February 16, 2026What Does the Term Lent Mean?Lent in the Christian Church is the period preceding Easter devoted to fasting, prayer, repentance, forgiveness and generosity; all in commemoration of Christ’s fasting in the wilderness. In the Western Catholic Church and many protestant denominations, it runs from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday, and so includes 40 weekdays.The word is traced etymologically to an Old English word lencten (related to lengthen or the lengthening of days) that simply refers to the season of spring. This season in the Church always fell during the springtime in Europe and over the centuries the word Lent became synonymous with the 40 days leading up to Easter.Additionally for the Anglo-Saxon people, it was an easier word than the official Latin title. In Latin it is called quadragesima, which means the 40 days. (or more literally the fortieth day before Easter) This term identifies the season with the forty day period of preparation before the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection.Why Fast During Lent?While fasting before Easter seems to have been an ancient and widespread tradition, the length of the fast varied significantly from place to place and across generations. In the latter half of the second century, 500 years before Pope Gregory the Great entered the scene, writers tell us that the preparatory fast lasted one or two days, or 40 hours - commemorating what was believed to be the exact duration of Christ’s time in the tomb. Whether you fast for 40 days, partaking in one meal each day, with the exception of the Sunday feast days, or a 40 hour fast, the number 40 is important as it reminds us of the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness, fasting and being tempted by Satan.And these examples of the number 40 aren’t the only scriptural basis for a 40 day fast. Noah and his sailing zoo endured 40 days and nights of rain. Moses spent 40 days on Mount Horeb receiving the Word of the Law from God Himself. The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness. And remember Jonah, who prophesied to the Ninevites (albeit with a couple of significant detours) that they had 40 days to repent or be destroyed? It seems to be a special number for God and always results in restoration.While in the wilderness after his baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, Jesus was tempted in every way, with Satan appealing to his pride as well as his physical needs. When we fast from something during this period, be it one particular thing that we love to do or eat or drink or say, or an all-out 40 day physical fast, we identify with Jesus’ sufferings in a unique way. When the hunger or desire for that from which we are fasting enters our mind, we have the opportunity to turn our focus from meeting that physical desire to coming to the Father in prayer, and bringing our sins, hurts, desires and temptations to Jesus. Remember how Jesus responded to Satan’s temptation to turn some rocks into bread and satisfy His overwhelming hunger? He quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, “Man must not live by bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”Also, a Lenten fast doesn’t have to be a strict removal of something from your life, but can also include adding something to your daily routines that forces you to sacrifice and depend on the Lord. One year I decided to write a hand-written note to a different person every day, reminding them of their identity in Christ. I’m horrible about writing notes to people, so this was not only a sacrifice and discipline for me, it also forced me to pray each day for the person God had laid on my heart to write, asking Him to show me what that individual needed to hear from Him that day. Throughout our Lenten study of the I AM of John’s gospel, we will be regularly reminded of the importance Jesus placed on prayer for connection with His Father, for nourishment of His spirit, for wisdom and direction and for strength and courage to overcome Satan’s incessant temptations.Is it 40 Days or 46 Days? I’m so confused!For those of you who know your calendar like the back of your hand, you’ve quickly discovered that from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday is actually 46 days, not 40. So, if the 40 Day Fast truly commemorates Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness following His baptism by John, then what do we do with these extra days?If we refer back to Pope Gregory the Great’s influence on the Lenten calendar, he was quoted as claiming in a homily, “We do not fast on the six Sundays of Lent.” Therefore, since the 600’s AD, the six Sundays of the Lenten season have been known as Feast Days when believers celebrate the hope realized through the death, burial and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ.The Council of NiceaHowever, the first clear and indisputable evidence for the 40 day Lent appeared far earlier in church history following the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. This first ecumenical council of the Christian church, called by Emperor Constantine I convened in hopes of affirming once and for all that Christ is a divine and equal member of the Trinity and not a created being as some were claiming. Throughout history there has been a need to recalibrate our beliefs and practices back to the essentials of our faith, protecting our churches from wolves in sheep’s clothing who seek to add or take away from the Gospel.The Council of Nicea wrote a comprehensive statement of faith, familiarly known as the Nicene Creed. At the time, there was nothing of its kind. It was spread throughout the Roman Empire, memorized by church leaders and spoken each time the family of God gathered. It has stood the test of time as the only ecumenical creed because it is accepted as authoritative by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican and major Protestant churches.If possible, read aloud the Nicene Creed below. There is something powerful about the spoken word, especially when we are speaking the truth about our great and awesome God!Nicene Creed:We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,Eternally begotten of the Father,God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,Begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.Through him all things were made.For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven:By the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.He has spoken through the Prophets.We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.We look for the resurrection of the dead,and the life of the world to come. Amen.— Episcopal Church Book of Common Prayer (1979), The Book of Common PrayerBig Picture Questions for Today* If you have participated in a Lenten Fast, what was your experience like?* Would you like to fast from something during this year’s Lenten season? Remember, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a fast from 40 days of food.* If you believe God is calling you to make a Lenten Fast commitment, consider telling one person who can hold you accountable and encourage you.* How do the words of the Nicene Creed move you? It is important that we practice the telling and retelling of the gospel, not only to others, but to ourselves.Pray for God to give you clear direction regarding fasting during Lent and for the universal, worldwide Church, referred to as the catholic (lower c) Church in the Nicene Creed. Thank God for leaders who have stood for truth and clarity over the millennia. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com